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NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S    IMAGE. 

The  World  Power  Trampling  the  Earth  Beneath  Its  Feet  for  Ages. 


\j   IT  A.  i-i         Gr  <«>   s* 


Popery,one  horn 
Growing  out  of  Rome 
The  4th  beast. 


Mohammedanism,  other 
horn,  growing  out  of 
GreecexThe  3rd  beast. 


C  H  R  I   S^T^S  kingdom  universal   to   cover- 
the  •whole/earth 


FEB  12  196 


Hand-book  of  Prophecy, 


CONTAINING 


A  BRIEF  OUTLINE  OF  THE  PROPHECIES  OF 
DANIEL  AND  JOHN, 


TOGETHER  WITH 


A  CRITICAL  ESSAY  ON  THE  SECOND  ADVENT. 


7* 

JAMES  STACY,  D,D., 

Presbyterian  Minister,  Newnan,  Georgia. 


"  We  have  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy."— 2  Peter  i.  19. 


RICHMOND  : 

Presbyterian  Committee  of  Publication. 


COPYRIGHTED 

BY 

JAMES  STACY,  NEWNAN,     GA. 

I906. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

Introduction,    9 

Principles   of  Interpretation,    " 10 

PART  I. 

CHAPTER   L— Daniel's    Prophecies,    13 

First  Vision, —  (Dan.  ii.  31-35,) — An  Image,   14 

Second  Vision, —  (Dan.  vii.  1-14,) — Four  Beasts,    .14 

Third  Vision, —  (Dan.  viii.  1-14,) — Ram  and  He  Goat,..  16 

Summary — Four    Great    Empires,     22 

CHAPTER  II. — Prophecies  of  John,    23 

General  Plan,   24 

Seven  Seals,    24 

Interpretation  of  Symbols,    25 

Sealing   of   the    144,000,    20 

Trumpets,     30 

First   Trumpet,    30 

Second  Trumpet,    31 

Third  Trumpet,    31 

Fourth  Trumpet, 32 

Woe   Trumpets,    32 

Fifth  Trumpet,— (First  Wee  Trumpet,) 33 

Sixth  Trumpet, —  (Second  Woe  Trumpet,) 34 

A  Pause,    35 

The  Little  Book,— (The  Reformation,)    35 

Slaying  of  the  Witnesses,    36 

Second   Great  Earthquake,    37 

Seventh  Trumpet,— (Third  Woe  Trumpet,)    38 

Third  Great  Woe,    38 

Wonder  in  Heaven, 39 

The  Red  Dragon, —  (Rome  Pagan,)    40 

First  Beast, —  (Rome  Christian,)     41 

Second  Beast, —  (Rome  Papal,)    43 

Image  of  the  Beast,    43 

Number  of  the  Name,    46 

Seven  Last  Plagues,   48 


CONTENTS. 

First   Vial,    48 

Second  Vial,   49 

Third  Vial,    50 

Fourth  Vial,   50 

Fifth  Vial, 51 

Sixth  Vial, 51 

Battle  of  Armageddon,   52 

Three  Unclean  Spirits,   52 

Seventh  Vial,    54 

Babylon, 54 

Description  of  the  Prophecy,    55 

The  Man  of  Sin,   55 

Lamentation  Over  the  Fall,   66 

Destruction  of  Remaining  Enemies,    67 

Binding  of  Satan,   68 

The  Millennium, 68 

Satan   Loosed,    70 

Battle  of  Gog  and  Magog,    70 

Resurrection   and   Judgment,    71 

The   Heavenly  City,    71 

CHAPTER  III. 

How  Much  Fulfilled,   72 

When  Shall  These  Things  Be?    73 

Abomination   of  Desolation,    76 

Beginning  of  Prophetic  Periods, 84 

Concluding  Remark,    87 

Practical    Lessons,    88 

Prophetic  Chart,  93- 

Chronological  Table,  95 

PART  II. 
SECOND  COMING  OF  CHRIST. 

Postmillennialism,     99 

Premillennialism,   99 

Diagram,    103 

I.  Number  of  Comings,  104 

II.  Number  of  Judgments,    107 

III.  Number  of  Resurrections,    113 

IV.  Revelation  xx.  4-6,   118 

V.  Other  Considerations,   127 


HAND-BOOK   OF    PROPHECY. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 


Introduction. 


I  PROPOSE,  in  the  following  pages,  to  give  a  brief 
outline  of  the  prophecies  of  John,  as  set  forth  in 
the  book  of  Revelation,  and  as  usually  held  by  leading 
interpreters.  And  I  am  led  to  do  this  for  the  reason  that 
there  is  a  great  and  felt  need  for  just  such  a  work.  To 
the  masses  the  Apocalypse  is  simply  a  sealed  book.  They 
read  it,  if  at  all,  without  getting  an  idea,  either  as  to  its 
intention  or  scope  of  its  teachings.  Indeed,  many  seem 
to  think  that  it  is  neither  possible,  nor  yet  intended,  to 
be  understood.  But  if  so,  why  is  it  termed  a  "revela- 
tion"? How  a  revelation  with  nothing  revealed?  If  not 
to  be  read  and  studied,  why  the  benediction  pronounced, 
"Blessed  is  he  that  reade'th,  and  they  that  hear  the  words 
of  this  prophecy"?  If  "All  scripture  is  given  by  inspi- 
ration, and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  in- 
struction in  righteousness,"  can  there  be  any  reason  why 
the  prophetical  portions  should  be  made  the  exception? 
As  the  object  of  prophecy  is  twofold,  being  alike  the 
attestation  of  revelation  and  the  encouragement  of  God's 
people,  we  can  neither  see  wherein  comes  the  encourage- 
ment, nor  yet  how  they  can  be  competent  witnesses  to  sit 
in  judgment  upon  this  part  of  the  evidence,  if  they  are  to 
know  nothing  about  the  things  predicted,  either  as  to 
their  meaning,  or  the  times  and  terms  of  their  fulfill- 
ment ? 

The  duty  of  investigation  is  clearly  set  forth  in  the 
double   challenge :    First,    in   the   declaration    that   these 


io  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

things  are  "shortly  to  come  to  pass,"  and  secondly,  in 
the  command  "to  search  the  scriptures,"  which  command, 
if  it  means  anything,  must  mean  that  we  are  to  search 
every  part  alike,  the  prophetical  portions  as  well  as  the 
epistles  or  gospels ;  and  to  seek  to  find  out,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, their  meaning,  how  much  and  wherein  fulfilled; 
and  especially  is  this  duty  incumbent  on  us  who  live  in 
these  latter  days,  when  we  hear  so  much  about  the  "Mil- 
lennial Dawn,"  and  the  second  coming  of  Christ. 

I  am  fully  aware  that  many  wild  and  extravagant 
notions  have  been  entertained,  and  fanciful  interpreta- 
tions given  portions  of  this  book,  insomuch  as  to  bring 
discredit  upon  the  whole,  and  even  to  reflect  upon  the 
good  sense  of  any  who  undertake  to  unravel  its  meaning. 
As  Dr.  South  has  quaintly  said,  "The  book  either  finds 
one  mad,  or  else  makes  him  so."  But  we  see  no  reason 
why  we  may  not  apply  the  same  good  common  sense  here 
as  elsewhere,  accepting  what  we  can  understand,  and 
leaving  undisturbed  what  is  clearly  beyond  our  depth. 
As  in  the  entire  realm  of  nature,  there  is  a  part  we  can 
understand,  where  nature  reveals  herself,  and  a  part 
wholly  incomprehensible,  where  she  refuses  thus  to  inter- 
pret ;  so  in  the  domain  of  prophecy  there  is  a  part  en- 
tirely comprehensible  because  self-interpreted  by  its  own 
fulfillment,  and  a  part  still  wrapped  in  profound  mys- 
tery for  lack  of  such  interpretation.  We  rejoice  in  the 
light  of  the  one ;  before  the  darkness  and  obscurity  of  the 
Other  we  can  only  bow  in  humble  silence  and  await 
further  light  and  development. 

Principles  of  Interpretation. 

To  form  any  true  conception  of  the  book  of  Revela- 
tion, or  to  get  anything  like  a  satisfactory  view  of  its 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  n 

teachings,  it  is  necessary  ever  to  bear  in  mind  the  follow- 
ing things : 

1.  That  prophecy  is  intended  only  as  a  general  outline 
or  rough  picture  of  coming  events.  The  prophetic  periods 
are  seldom  if  ever  clearly  defined,  but,  like  the  rainbow 
hues,  are  so  gradually  blended  into  each  other  that  it  be- 
comes ofttimes  impossible  to  tell  where  the  one  period 
ends  and  the  other  begins.  Besides,  there  is  purposely 
cast  over  the  whole  more  or  less  obscurity,  and  for  the 
reason  that  if  the  thing  were  made  unmistakably  plain  be- 
forehand, man  might  be  tempted  to  thwart  the  purpose. 

2.  The  book  is  highly  symbolic  in  its  character,  its 
nomenclature  being  made  up  of  the  boldest  figures  and 
emblems.  Thus,  under  the  guise  of  an  earthquake,  it 
speaks  of  a  revolution  or  moral  upheaval.  It  makes  a 
battle,  stand  for  a  conflict  of  principle,  the  chaining  of  an 
evil  spirit  for  the  restraining  of  its  influence  and  power. 
So  the  darkening  of  the  sun  and  moon,  and  blotting  out 
of  the  stars,  is  but  the  symbolic  overthrow  of  human  gov- 
ernments and  kingly  authority. 

3.  It  is  equally  well  to  remember  that  a  great  deal  of 
the  imagery  employed  is  intended  simply  as  drapery  to 
fill  out  the  picture.  Just  as  in  the  case  of  the  parables,  we 
are  only  to  look  for  the  general  teaching  or  leading  truth. 

.  To  force  every  part  to  mean  something  will  only  be  to 
"darken  counsel  with  words,"  and  obscure  the  truth,  as 
the  sun,  with  multitudinous  coverings  of  clouds. 

4.  Then  we  must  not  forget  that  the  book  of  Revela- 
tion is  not  intended  as  an  indiscriminate  foretelling  of 
future  events,  but  only  as  a  prophecy  of  the  future  of  the 
church.  If  any  allusion  is  made  at  all  to  any  outside 
nation  or  people,  it  is  simply  because  their  history  is  in- 
cidentally  connected   with   the   history   of    the    church. 


12  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

Hence  the  prominence  given  Chaldea  and  Egypt  in  the 
Old  Testament,  and  the  Roman  Empire  in  the  New. 
The  scriptures  are  profoundly  silent  about  all  outside 
matters,  however  great  and  important  they  may  seem. 
The  final  establishment  of  the  church,  and  the  universal 
enthronement  of  her  Lord  and  King,  are  the  great  themes, 
and  only  burden  of  their  teachings. 

Asking  the  reader  to  bear  these  things  in  mind,  and  es- 
pecially seeking  the  illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
the  blessing  of  God  upon  the  effort,  I  proceed  to  the  task 
before  me. 


PART    I. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Daniel's  Prophecies. 

BEFORE  introducing  the  prophecies  of  John  it  is 
necessary  first  to  consider  those  of  Daniel,  as  they 
largely  treat  of  the  same  things,  the  one  being  the  key  to 
the  other;  Daniel  gives  the  grand  outlines,  while  John 
fills  in  the  picture.  To  understand  the  one  is  but  the  bet- 
ter to  comprehend  the  other. 

The  prophecies  of  Daniel  are  in  the  form  of  visions. 

First  Vision. — (Dan.   ii.   31-35.) 
An  Image. 

Nebuchadnezzar  had  a  dream.  He  saw  a  great  image, 
whose  head  was  of  fine  gold,  his  breast  and  arms  were  of 
silver,  his  body  and  thighs  were  of  brass,  his  legs  of 
iron,  his  feet  part  of  iron  and  part  of  clay.  He  also  saw 
a  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,  which 
smote  the  image  upon  its  feet,  and  broke  it  to  pieces; 
but  the  stone  which  smote  the  image  became  a  great 
mountain,  and  filled  the  whole  earth. 

Daniel  interprets  as  follows:  That  the  head  of  gold 
represented  the  Chaldean  empire,  of  which  Nebuchad- 
nezzar was  head.  That  after  the  Chaldean  empire  an- 
other, but  inferior,  empire  would  arise,  represented  by 
the  breast  and  arms  of  silver.  That  would  be  followed 
by  a  third,  which  would  rule  over  all  the  earth,  repre- 
sented by  the  brass  of  the  body  and  thighs.  That  by  a 
fourth,  strong  as  iron,  breaking  in  pieces  all  these,  and 
represented  by  the  legs  of  iron.     This  last  to  be  divided 


14  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

into  ten  inferior  kingdoms,  represented  by  the  iron  and 
clay  of  the  ten  toes,  partly  strong  and  partly  weak,  as 
iron  and  clay,  not  mingling  and  mixing  together.  In 
the  days  of  which  kings  God  would  set  up  a  kingdom, 
represented  by  the  little  stone,1  which  would  break  all 
these  kingdoms  into  pieces,  and  which  would  never  be 
destroyed,  but  last  forever. 

This  vision  is  very  plain.  Beginning  with  the  Chaldean 
empire,  of  which  Nebuchadnezzar  was  head,  we  have 
a  clear-cut  prophetic  announcement  of  the  forthcoming 
and  succession  of  three  other  great  empires,  the  breaking 
of  the  last  into  ten  minor  kingdoms,  and  the  setting  up 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  all  of  which  came  to  pass  as 
foretold.  The  Chaldean  empire  gave  place  to  the  Medo- 
persian,  the  Medopersian  to  the  Macedonian,  and  the 
Macedonian  to  the  Roman,  which  was  broken  into  ten 
kingdoms,  during  the  existence  of  which  the  church  of 
Christ  was  set  up. 

In  this  vision,  beginning  with  Nebuchadnezzar  and 
running  to  the  end  of  time,  we  have  presented  only  a 
general  view,  showing  when  the  kingdom  of  Christ  would 
be  set  up,  and  also  its  nature  and  final  triumph,  small  at 
first,  but  in  the  end  filling  the  whole  earth  as  a  great 
mountain. 

Second  Vision. — (Dan.  vii.   1-14.) 
Four  Beasts. 

Daniel  saw  four  beasts  come  up  from  the  sea,  diverse 
from  each  other:  the  first  like  a  lion  with  eagle's  wings; 

*Dr.  Alexander  in  his  Stone  Kingdom,  following  Baldwin  in  his 
Armageddon,  strangely  makes  the  little  stone  to  mean  the 
United  States. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  15 

the  second  like  a  bear  raised  up  on  one  side,  with  three 
ribs  in  his  mouth ;  the  third  like  a  leopard  with  four 
heads,  and  four  wings  of  a  fowl.  The  fourth  beast  was 
diverse  from  all  others,  terrible  and  exceeding  strong, 
and  had  great  iron  teeth.  It  devoured  and  broke  in 
pieces,  and  stamped  the  residue  with  his  feet.  This  beast 
also  had  ten  horns ;  and  behold  there  came  up  among 
them  another  little  horn,  before  whom  three  of  the  first 
horns  were  plucked  up  by  the  roots.  In  this  little  horn 
were  eyes,  like  the  eyes  of  a  man,  and  a  mouth  speaking 
great  things,  which  Daniel  viewed  till  the  appearing  of 
the  Ancient  of  days,  and  judgment  given  the  saints,  when 
this  beast  was  slain,  and  his  body  destroyed  and  given  to 
the  burning  flame.  He  also  saw  dominion  and  power, 
and  a  kingdom  given  the  Son  of  man,  that  all  nations 
and  peoples  should  serve  him. 

The  interpretation  that  Daniel  gives  of  this  vision  is 
just  as  clear  cut  and  as  easily  understood  as  the  other. 
The  four  beasts  were  the  same  kingdoms  above  men- 
tioned, with  a  more  particular  description  of  the  fourth 
kingdom.  The  fourth  beast,  so  diverse  from  the  others, 
represented  a  fourth  kingdom  which  was  to  arise,  and 
which  was  to  tread  down  the  whole  earth ;  that  the  ten 
horns  were  ten  kingdoms  to  arise  out  of  it,  and  out  of 
these  another  was  to  arise  after  them,  and  he  should  be 
diverse  from  the  first,  and  should  subdue  three  of  the 
kings,  and  that  he  would  speak  great  words  against  the 
Most  High,  wear  out  his  saints,  and  think  to  change 
times  and  laws  and  that  they  should  be  given  him,  "For 
a  time  and  times  and  the  dividing  of  time" ;  and  that,  in 
the  end,  his  dominion  should  be  taken  away,  and  the 
kingdom  and  the  dominion  given  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High. 


16  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

Here  we  have  a  second  mention  of  the  same  four  great 
empires,  with  the  additional  statement,  chat  out  of  the 
ten  kingdoms  into  which  the  fourth  or  last  empire  should 
be  divided  another  and  different  kingdom  should  arise. 
The  fourth  kingdom,  as  in  the  former  vision,  was  the 
Roman  empire ;  the  ten  horns,  the  same  as  the  ten  toes  of 
the  previous  vision,  representing  the  ten  kingdoms  into 
which  that  empire  was  afterwards  divided,  and  were,  as 
usually  understood,  the  Ostrogoths,  Visigoths,  Sueves 
and  Allans,  Vandals,  Franks,  Burgundians,  Heruli,  Sax- 
ons and  Angles,  Huns,  and  Lombards.  The  little  horn  to 
arise  in  their  midst,  the  Papacy,  as  we  will  afterwards 
see,  the  three  horns  or  kingdoms  plucked  up  by  it,  the 
Heruli,  Lombards,  and  Ostrogoths ;  the  time  of  continu- 
ance, three  and  a  half  years;  that  is,  1,260  days,  or  1,260 
years ;  a  day  for  a  year,  according  to  prophetic  count. 

This  vision  begins  with  Belshazzar,  about  555  B.  C, 
and  runs  also  to  the  end,  showing  the  rise  of  the  Papacy, 
or  man  of  sin,  which  was  to  wear  out  the  saints,  and  to 
continue  1,260  years.2 

Third  Vision. — (Dan.   viii.    1-14. ) 

Ram  and  He-goat. 

In  this  vision  Daniel  saw  a  ram  with  two  high  horns, 
one  higher  than  the  other,  and  the  higher  came  up  last. 
This  ram  was  pushing  westward,  northward,  and  south- 


2Comp.  Gen.  xxix.  26,  27;  Numb.  xiv.  34;  Dan.  ix.  24,  27;  Ezek. 
iv.  6;  2  Pet.  iii.  8.  The  early  fathers;  understood  "days"  literally. 
With  increased  development  of  the  truth  and  light,  the  year-day 
principle  gradually  obtained  till  the  Reformation.  The  numerous 
fulfillments  up  to  the  present  time  fully  establish  this  as  the 
true  theory  of  interpretation.  See  Elliott's  Horae  Apocalyptical 
Vol.  III.,  239. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  17 

ward,  and  no  beast  could  stand  before  him,  and  he  be- 
came great.     Then  he  saw  a  he-goat  coming  from  the 
west,  on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth.     He  had  a  notable 
horn  between  his  eyes,  and  he  came  up  against  the  ram 
with  two  horns,  and  smote  the  ram  and  broke  his  two 
horns ;  and  there  was  no  power  in  the  ram  to  withstand 
him,  but  the  ram  was  cast  to  the  earth  and  stamped  upon. 
The  goat  waxed  very  strong,  and  when  strong,  the  great 
horn  was  broken,  and  four  notable  ones  came  up  towards 
the  four  winds  of  heaven,  and  out  of  one  of  them  came 
forth  a  little  horn,  which  waxed  great,  towards  the  south 
and  east,  and  the  pleasant  land,  and  it  waxed  great  even 
to  the  host  of  heaven,  "and  cast  down  some  of  the  host 
and  of  the  stars,"  to  the  ground  and  stamped  upon  them. 
And  he  magified  himself  even  to  the  prince  of  the  host ; 
and  by  him  the  daily  sacrifice  was  taken  away,  the  place 
of  his  sanctuary  removed,  and  a  host  given  him  against 
the   daily   sacrifice,   by  reason   of  transgression;   and   it 
"cast  the  truth  to  the  ground  and  practised  and  pros- 
pered."   And  when  it  was  asked,  How  long  shall  be  the 
vision  concerning  the  daily  sacrifice,  and  the  transgres- 
sion of  desolation  and  to  give  both  the  sanctuary  and 
the  host  to  be  trodden  under  foot  ?  the  answer  came,  unto 
2,300  days ;  then  shall  the  sanctuary  be  cleansed. 

Even  if  Daniel  had  not  given  any  interpretation  of  this 
vision  his  reader  would  not  be  slow  in  understanding 
that  the  ram  with  two  horns,  one  being  higher  than  the 
other,  was  the  Medopersian  empire ;  the  Persian  being 
weaker  at  first,  and  becoming  the  stronger  in  the  end. 
And  the  he-goat,  the  kingdom  of  Macedonia,  that  soon 
overcame  the  Persian  empire ;  and  the  horn  becoming 
strong,  being  broken,  and  four  notable  ones  coming  in 
its  place,  representing  the  division  of  the  empire  into  four 


18  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

parts,  viz. :  Egypt,  Syria,  Thrace,  and  Macedon ;  and  di- 
vided among  his  four  generals:  Ptolemy,  Seleucus, 
Lysimachns,  and  Cassander.  Out  of  one  of  these,  viz., 
Syria,  arose  a  little  horn,  a  "king  of  fierce  countenance 
and  understanding  dark  sentences,"  representing  the 
Mohammedan  power,  as  we  understand  it,  and  waxing 
great  in  the  East,  that  is,  in  Persia;  in  the  South,  that 
is,  in  Egypt;  and  in  the  Pleasant  land;  that  is,  Pales- 
tine; magnifying  himself  against  the  Prince  of  the  host 
and  taking  away  the  daily  sacrifice,  and  trampling  the 
sanctuary  under  foot  because  of  the  fulness  of  transgres- 
sion, all  of  which  was  true,  as  we  shall  hereafter  see. 

Here,  then,  we  have  a  vision  beginning  with  the  Mace- 
donian empire,  and  to  last  2,300  days,  or  years,  showing 
the  rise  and  continuance  of  the  Mohammedan  delusion ; 
the  four  kingdoms  into  which  the  Macedonian  empire 
was  to  be  divided,  and  the  part  out  of  which  the  king  of 
"fierce  countenance"  was  to  arise;  the  time  of  his  active 
life,  and  the  time  for  the  cleansing  of  the  sanctuary. 

Summing  Up. 

From  this  rapid  review  of  the  prophecies  of  Daniel 
we  are  taught,  in  clear  and  unmistakable  terms,  that 
there  were  to  be  four  great  empires,  which  were  to  arise 
and  follow  each  Other  in  quick  and  rapid  succession,  viz. ; 
the  Chaldean,  the  Medopersian,  the  Macedonian,  and  the 
Roman ;  and  out  of  the  Roman  would  arise  a  strange  and 
mysterious  persecuting  power,  diverse  and  unlike  any 
other,  and  continue  1,260  years.  And  also,  out  of  the 
four  kingdoms  into  which  the  Macedonian  empire  would 
be  divided,  another  power  of  great  fierceness  would 
arise,  which  would  trample  under  foot  the  holy  city,  and 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  19 

defile  the  sanctuary ;  and,  measuring  from  the  rise  of  that 
kingdom,  would  continue  to  the  end  of  the  2,300  years. 
On  turning  to  history  to  see  what  kings  of  the  above 
description,  if  any,  arose  at  these  two  periods,  we  find 
two,  and  only  two,  and  these  precisely  meeting  the  de- 
mands of  the  case,  viz.:  the  Papacy  and  the  Mohamme- 
dan delusion.    They  both  arose  at  the  very  time  and  place 
indicated.     The  one  arose  out  of  the  Macedonian,  and 
the  other  out  of  the  Roman  empire.     The  one  out  of  the 
four  kingdoms  into  which  the  former,  and  the  other  out 
of  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  the  latter  was  to  be  di- 
vided.    The  time,  therefore,  for  their  appearing  has  long 
since  gone  by ;  for  these  four  great  empires  have  succes- 
sively  arisen   and   passed  'off   the   stage, — the   sanctuary 
been    in    desolation    for    centuries ;    so    the    kingdom    of 
Christ  for  a  long  time  set  up.     If  they  be  not  the  kings 
intended,  then  there  is  absolutely  nothing  else  to  fill  the 
place.     Nor  yet  can  the  prophecies  concerning  them  ever 
be  fulfilled,  unless  the  past  history  should  be  repeated, 
and  there  yet  arise  another  set  of  great  empires,  the  ex- 
act counterpart  of  the  first,  the  one  to  be  divided  into 
four,  and  the  other  into  ten  parts.     In  other  words,  that 
there  be  another  Macedonian,  and  another  Roman  em- 
pire,   and   Jerusalem    rebuilt,    and    the    services    of    the 
sanctuary  re-established,  and  all  to  be  again  destroyed 
and  defiled,  a  thing  wholly  unreasonable.    We  need  never 
expect  history  to  repeat  itself  after  this  fashion.    Neither 
is  there  any  necessity  for  such  a  repetition.     Nor  yet  do 
these  prophecies,  which  in  their  mighty  sweep  reach  the 
very  end  of  time,  give  a  single  hint  as  to  any  other  great 
nations  yet  to  arise,  but  rather  give  us  to  understand 
that  the  time  is  forever  past  for  any  other  great  universal 
empire,  save  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  which  is  yet  to  cover 


20  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

the  whole  earth,  superseding  all  others.  Indeed,  the  his- 
tory is  already  so  complete  that  even  Papists  themselves 
do  not  hesitate  to  admit  the  general  application.  In 
their  English  Bible,  edited  by  Dr.  Challonier,  and  with 
the  endorsement  of  Bishop  Hughes  and  his  associates, 
and  intended  for,  and  in  use  among  the  common  people, 
we  find  the  following  candid  admissions:  That  the  four 
great  beasts  are  the  Chaldean,  Persian,  Grecian,  and 
Roman  empires ;  that  the  ten  horns  are  the  ten  kingdoms 
among  which  the  fourth  beast  shall  be  parcelled;  and 
that  the  little  horn  is  "commonly  understood  of  Anti- 
christ." (See  note,  p.  697.)  This  seems  to  us  a  most 
remarkable  and  fatal  admission  on  their  part.  For,  ad- 
mit that  the  four  beasts  are  the  four  great  empires  above 
mentioned ;  admit  that  the  ten  horns  were  the  ten  king- 
doms arising  out  of  the  fourth  kingdom,  and  the  little 
horn  arising  out  of  the  ten  was  the  Antichrist,  and  the 
identity  of  Rome  with  Antichrist  is  at  once  established. 
The  claim  of  the  Papists  that  he  is  yet  to  come  is  clearly 
untenable ;  for  how  come  out  of  one  of  the  ten  king- 
doms, and  overcome  three  of  them,  when  those  kingdoms 
have  long  since  ceased  to  exist?  The  plea  is  further  re- 
futed by  the  declaration  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  that  he  had 
already  commenced  to  work  in  his  day.  (2  Thess.  ii. 
7,  8.)  And  that  as  soon  as  he  that  hindered — that  is, 
the  Roman  government,  which  then  held  the  sway — was 
removed,  the  Man  of  Sin  would  be  revealed  and  take 
his  place.3    According  to  Paul,  the  place  to  look  for  the 

3This  has  been  the  general  view  of  the  church  since  the  days 
of  Turtullian,  who  lived  in  the  latter  part  of  the  second  century. 
Says  he,  "What  obstacle  is  there  but  the  Roman  State,  the  falling 
away  of  which,  by  being  scattered  into  ten  kingdoms,  shall  intro- 
duce antichrist  upon  its  own  ruins?"     ("Clark's  Pub.,  II.,  258.) 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  21 

Man  of  Sin  is  behind,  and  not  before.  Why,  then,  be 
looking  for  him  in  the  future,  when  he  had  already  begun 
to  work  in  Paul's  day?  And  why  still  be  looking  for 
these  two  kings,  the  one  of  strange  and  the  other  of 
fierce  countenance,  when  the  time  so  clearly  and  defi- 
nitely fixed  for  their  appearance,  has  so  long  been  past? 
And  have  they  not  been  sufficiently  fierce  and  sanguinary, 
and  shed  blood  enough,  and  defiled  the  sanctuary  enough, 
to  entitle  them  to  the  distinctive  appellation,  that  we 
should  be  looking  yet  for  others?  Furthermore,  how 
account  for  the  silence  of  the  scriptures  concerning  these 
if  they  be  not  the  ones  intended?  Why  such  emphasis 
given  Assyria  and  Egypt  of  old,  and  nothing  said  about 
these  strange  and  mysterious  enemies  of  the  church? 
We  submit,  if  prophecy  be  the  future  of  the  church's 
history,  would  it  not  be  passing  strange,  yea  even  a 
marvel,  that  two  such  antagonizing  forces  should  exist 
for  so  long  a  time,  the  one  in  the  very  bosom  of  the 
church,  and  the  other  on  its  nearest  confines,  like  the 
Canaanites  within,  and  the  Philistines  without,  Israel 
of  old,  and  for  so  many  long  centuries  waging  a  merci- 
less warfare  against  the  saints,  and  persistently  resisting 
the  onward  march  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  yet  no 
mention  made  of  them,  and  not  even  a  hint  given,  by 
any  sacred  writer,  concerning  their  rise  and  appearance? 
As  there  are  no  other  kings  in  the  above  mentioned 
period,  and  the  time  fixed  for  their  appearance  has  long 
since  passed,  and  these  so  precisely  agree  with  the  de- 
scription, we  are  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  the  two 
kings  that  were  to  arise,  the  one  out  of  the  ten  king- 
doms of  the  Roman,  and  the  other  out  of  the  four  king- 
doms of  the  Grecian  empire,  were  none  ether  than  the 
Papacy  and  the  Mohammedan  delusion. 


22  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

The  following  summary  will  represent  to  the  eye  the 
truths  set  forth  in  the  preceding  prophecies. 

Summary. 
Four  Great  Empires. 
I.  Chaldean. 
II.  Medopersian. 
III.  Macedonian. 
Macedonian,  divided  into  Egypt,  Syria,  Thrace,  Mace- 
don  ;  Syria,  the  one  out  of  which  the  first  little  horn,  or 
king  of  fierce  countenance,  arose. 

IV.  Roman. 

Roman,  divided  into  Ostrogoths,  Visigoths,  Sueves 
and  Allans,  Vandals,  Franks,  Burgundians,  Heruli, 
Saxons  and  Angles,  Huns,  Lombards,  out  of  which  the 
second  little  horn  or  mysterious  king  was  to  arise. 

The  three  plucked  up  by  it :  Ostrogoths,  Heruli,  Lom- 
bards. 

The  Kingdom  of  Christ. 
The  last  great  universal  kingdom,  which  is  to  overcome 
the  others,  and  yet  to  fill  the  whole  earth. 
Here  are  set  forth: 
i.  That  there  were  to  be  four  great  empires. 

2.  The  third  was  to  be  divided  into  four,  and  out  of 
one  of  these  a  fierce  king  should  arise,  and  continue  to 
the  end  of  the  vision  of  2,300  years. 

3.  The  fourth  should  be  divided  into  ten  kingdoms, 
and  out  of  these  should  arise  a  strange  and  mysterious 
king,  unlike  anything  else  that  ever  lived,  and  who  should 
subdue  three  of  them,  and  continue  1,260  years. 

4.  That  about  this  time  God  would  set  up  a  kingdom, 
small  at  first,  but  to  grow,  and  in  the  end  to  fill  the  whole 
earth. 


CHAPTER  II. 
Prophecies   of  John. 

FROM  these  clear-cut  statements  of  Daniel  we  now 
turn  to  John.  This  apostle  lived  nearly  seven  cen- 
turies after  Daniel.  While  in  exile  on  the  isle  of  Patmos, 
whither  banished  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,  he 
was  favored  with  a  most  wonderful  revelation,  both  of 
"things  that  are  and  things  to  be  hereafter,;'  the  first 
containing  an  account  of  the  seven  churches  and  the 
second  the  future  history  of  the  church. 

Being  in  the  spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  he  was  favored 
with  a  view  of  the  symbolic  throne  of  Jehovah,  located 
in  the  firmamental  heaven,1  surrounded  with  a  corusca- 
tion of  light  and  glory,  and  in  the  midst  of  which,  and 
surrounding  the  throne,  were  twenty-four  elders,  seated 
upon  thrones,  and  four  Living  Creatures,  with  four 
different  faces.  The  first  like  a  lion,  the  second  like  a 
calf,  the  third  like  the  face  of  a  man,  and  the  fourth  like 
a  flying  eagle,  representing,  as  we  understand  it,  the  dif- 
ferent orders  of  the  redemeed,  crowned  and  uncrowned ; 
the  former,  the  sanctified  saints  in  heaven,  already 
crowned,  and  the  latter  the  unsanctified  saints  on  earth 
struggling  in  the  flesh.2 

1  Greek  £v  ?&  nopavm  not  ev  roc?  oupavot?,  as  in  other 
places,  for  the  real  heaven.  The  reader  will  hear  this  distinction 
in  mind    as  it  runs  throim-h  the  entire  book. 

2  That  the  living  creatures  are  the  symbol  of  the  church  on 
on  earth  appears: 


24  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

John  also  saw,  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the 
throne,  a  book  written  within  and  without,  by  the  reason 
of  the  abundance  of  the  revelation,  or  perhaps,  as  Elliott 
suggests,  the  things  without  being  supplemental  to  those 
within. 

General  Plan. 

This  book  was  divided  into  three  parts,  the  first  con- 
taining the  seals,  the  second  the  trumpets,  the  third  the 
vials;  seven  of  each.  The  seventh  seal  containing  the 
seven  trumpets,  the  seventh  trumpet  the  seven  vials.  At 
the  close  of  the  seals  there  was  an  earthquake  or  up- 
heaval, announcing  a  change  and  introducing  and  con- 
taining the  trumpets  or  judgments.  At  the  close  of  the 
trumpets  another  earthquake  or  upheaval,  announcing 
another  change,  and  introducing  and  containing  the  vials 
or  last  plagues.  At  the  close  of  the  vials  another  and 
greater  earthquake  or  upheaval,  the  greatest  of  all,  in- 
cluding the  binding  of  Satan,  the  Millennium,  the  loosing 
of  Satan,  the  battle  of  Gog  and  Magog,  the  general  res- 
urrection and  final  judgment. 

Seven  Seals. 
Under  the  seals  we  have  the  following  symbols :  First, 
a  white  horse  with  its  rider,  with  a  bow  and  a  crown 

1 .  Scene  located  in  the  firmament,  and:  not  real  heaven,  as 
stated  above. 

2.  Animal  nature  a  fit  emblem  of  unsanctified  human  nature. 

3.  Thanksgiving  commenced  with  living  creatures,  and  taken  up 
by  the  elders;  heaven  rejoices  with  earth. 

4.  Because  they,  together  with  the  elders,  only  twenty-four  in 
number,  declared,  "Thou  hast  redeemed  us  from  every  nation, 
kindred  and  tongue";  therefore  the  representative  of  every  nation 
and  people. 

5.  The  symbol  dropped  in  the  closing  part  of  the  book,  where 
real  heavenly  scenes  are  depicted. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  25 

given  to  him,  and  going  forth  conquering  and  to  con- 
quer. Second,  a  red  horse,  with  power  to  kill  and  take 
away  peace.  Third,  a  black  horse  with  balances,  and  a 
statement  of  the  price  of  corn,  weighed  with  exactness, 
on  account  of  scarcity,  but  oil  and  wine  to  be  left ;  God's 
judgments  always  tempered  with  mercy.  Fourth,  a  pale 
horse,  with  death  sitting  on  him  and  hell  following  in  his 
train.  Fifth,  the  souls  of  martyrs  crying  for  vengeance. 
Sixth,  the  great  earthquake,  and  the  sealing  of  the 
144,000,  and  concluding  with  the  seventh  seal. 

Interpretation  of  Symbols. 

The  first  four  seals  being  under  the  same  symbol  of  a 
horse  and  rider  must  refer  to  the  same  thing,  and  repre- 
sents the  Roman  empire,  with  the  church  of  Christ  in  its 
bosom .  Church  and  state  are  always  in  one  sense  united, 
being  alike  blessed  and  cursed  of  God  together.  At  first 
the  state  dominated  the  church ;  in  the  end  the  order  is  to 
be  reversed,  and  the  church  is  to  dominate  the  state.  At 
first  the  world  was  punished  for  its  treatment  of  the 
church ;  in  the  end  the  church  chastened  for  its  treatment 
of  the  state;  but  always  one  and  inseparable.  Accord- 
ing to  this  interpretation  the  white  horse  in  the  first  seal 
fitly  represents  the  victory,  progress,  and  prosperity  of 
the  Roman  empire,  bearing  the  church  of  God  ir.  its 
bosom  as  the  horse  its  rider.  Then  the  horse,  charging 
its  color  to  red,  representing  the  same  empire  in  a  state  of 
strife,  war,  and  bloodshed.  Then  to  black,  the  symbol  of 
distress,  representing  famine  and  want.  Then  the  pale 
color,  a  representation  of  still  greater  general  terror  and 
dismay  consequent  upon  the  preceding  state  of  things. 
Then  the  souls  of  martyrs,  the  symbol  of  persecution. 
Lastly,    the    earthquake   or    upheaval,    betokening    some 


26  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

great  revolution  about  to  follow,  which  likewise  would 
be  in  the  same  empire. 

In  this  general  outline  we  have  a  corresponding  out' 
line  in  the  history  of  the  world  for  the  first  three  cen- 
turies, till  the  first  great  upheaval  in  the  time  of  Constan- 
tine,  and  afterwards  followed  by  the  great  invasion  of  the 
Vandal  hordes  from  the  North.  According  to  Gibbon,3 
the  time  of  the  greatest  prosperity  of  the  Roman  empire 
was  during  the  reigns  of  Nerva,  Trajan,  Hadrian,  and 
the  two  Antonines,  from  A.  D.  96  to  180,  known  as  "The 
golden  age."  After  which,  with  the  assassination  of 
Commodus,  began  the  decline,  and  for  about  ninety  years, 
till  the  accession  of  Diocletian,  there  was  incessant  strife, 
"thirty-two  emperors  and  twenty-seven  pretenders  alter- 
nately hurling  each  other  from  the  throne."  Then  a 
period  of  greater  distress,  from  180  to  193.  Then  still 
greater  terror  and  dismay,  from  193  to  243,  and  greater 
still  from  243  to  248.  Then  the  cry  of  those  martyred 
souls,  the  result  of  those  awful  persecutions,  beginning 
with  Nero  and  terminating  with  Diocletian,  when  the 
sword  of  Caesar  and  the  whole  world  sought  to  put  down 
this  new  religion,  and  when  the  blood  of  martyrs  flowed 
like  water,  when  so  many  sealed  their  testimony  with 
their  life's  blood.  Then  the  great,  earthquake  or  up- 
heaval, connected  with  the  conversion  of  Constantine,  the 
Roman  governor,  when  there  was  a  comple  somer- 
sault, the  whole  world  rushing  into  the  church.  Never, 
perhaps,  was  there  ever  before  such  a  complete  revolution 
in  matters  religions  and  ecclesiastical.  As  Dr.  Adam 
Clark  has  well  said,  "The  revolution  under  Constantine 
and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  were  the  two  greatest 
events  that  have  ever  taken  place  in  the  world  since  the 

8Vol.  I.,  1. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  27 

flood  to  the  eighteenth  century  of  the  Christian  era."* 
And  this  is  the  more  remarkable  on  account  of  the  small- 
ness  of  the  number  of  the  Christians,  they  being,  accord- 
ing to  Gibbon,  only  about  one-twentieth  of  the  popula- 
tion.5 So  general  was  the  reaction  against  heathenism, 
and  so  complete  the  revolution,  that  it  required  some  such 
striking  images  to  represent  it  as  the  darkening  of  the 
sun,  paling  of  the  moon,  and  blotting  out  of  the  stars ; 
when,  as  Bishop  Newton  has  expressed  it,  "The  great 
lights  of  the  heathen  world,  the  great  powers,  civil  and 
ecclesiastical,  were  all  eclipsed,  and  obscured,  the  heathen 
emperors  and  Caesars  were  slain,  the  heathen  priests  and 
augers  extirpated,  the  heathen  officers  and  magistrates  re- 
moved, the  heathen  temples  demolished,  and  their  rev- 
enues appropriated  to  better  uses."6 

That  the  figures  thus  employed  were  none  too  bold  to 
depict  these  scenes  will  appear  from  the  fact  that  they 
are  the  very  ones  used  by  the  old  prophets  in  speaking  of 
similar  things.  Thus  Isaiah,  in  speaking  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  Babylon,  says,  "For  the  stars  of  heaven  and  the 
constellations  thereof  shall  not  give  their  light,  the  sun 
shall  be  darkened  in  his  going  forth,  and  the  moon  shall 
not  cause  her  light  to  shine."  (Chap.  xiii.  10.)  So 
in  the  judgments  to  be  visited  upon  Idumea,  "All  the 
hosts  of  heaven  shall  be  dissolved,  and  the 'heavens  be 
rolled  together  as  a  scroll,  and  their  host  shall  fall  down 
as  the  leaf  falleth  off  the  vine."  (Chap,  xxxiv.  4.)  So 
Joel,  in  his  description  of  the  change  from  the  old  to  the 
new  dispensation,  uses  language  equally  strong:  "And  it 
shall  come  to  pass  afterwards,  that  I  will  pour  out  my 
Spirit  upon  all  flesh,  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters 
shall  prophcy ;  .  .  .  and  I  will  show  wonders  in  the  heav- 
4Com.  in  Loc.     'Vol.  I.,  583.     cVol.  II.,  203. 


28  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

ens  and  in  the  earth,  blood  and  fire  and  pillars  of  smoke; 
the  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness,  and  the  moon  into 
blood  before  the  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord 
come."  (Chap.  ii.  28-31.)  See  also  Amos.  viii.  9,  and 
Zech.  i.  14,  15,  where  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  is 
spoken  of  as  "the  great  day  of  the  Lord." 

The  entire  suitableness  of  the  figures   employed   will 
also  appear  in  a  still  stronger  light  when  we  remember 
that  beyond  and  behind  all  this  we  have  here  given  us  a 
typical   foreshadowing  of  impending  judgments   still   in 
the  future.     In  this  typical  overthrow  of  governments, 
and  the  whole  world  in  consternation  and  woe,  we  also 
have  a  forecast  of  coming  judgments,  set  forth  in  the 
trumpets,  and  even  extending  to  the  final  destruction  of 
all  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  and  his  church.     Every  rill 
is  but  the  prophecy  of  the  existence  of  the  mighty  ocean ; 
so  every  judgment  is  but  the  foreshadowing  of  the  final 
destruction  of  all  the  wicked.     We  cannot  look  out  upon 
any  object  in  nature  without  seeing  objects  behind  it  as 
a  background.     As  the  Saviour,  in  his  description  of  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,   imperceptibly  glides  into  the 
final  judgment,  because  included  in  it,  so  here.    This  ter- 
rible upheaval,  the  dim  adumbration  of  final  destruction 
of  all  his  enemies,  was  but  the  first  great  ground  swell, 
or  reactionary  movement  back  in  the  direction  of  God 
and  heaven.     Hence  the  consternation  and   woe   repre- 
sented by  the  call  to  the  rocks  and  mountains  to  fall  upon 
them,  and  hide  them  from  the  face  of  an  angry  God. 
Similar  language  is  used  in  Hos.  x.  8,  referring  to  Shal- 
maneser's  invasion,  and  also  by  the  Saviour  in  Luke  xviii. 
30,  where,  when  speaking  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem, he  represents  its  terrified  inhabitants  as  calling  to 
mountains  and  hills  to  fall  on  them,  and  furnish  a  place 
of  retreat. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  29 

Here,  then,  in  this  first  outlook,  reaching  to  the  distant 
future,  we  are  brought  face  to  face  with  all  the  after 
judgments  set  forth  in  the  trumpets  and  seals  that  are  to 
be  visited  upon  all  the  enemies  of  the  Lord,  the  past  be- 
ing but  the  earnest,  prophecy  and  pledge  of  all  succeed- 
ing ones. 

Sealing  of  the  144,000. 

Before  the  sounding  of  the  trumpets,  introducing 
these  impending  judgments,  we  have  the  sealing  of  God's 
people,  not  Jews  simply,  but  all  his  elect  people,  144,000 ; 
a  definite  for  an  indefinite  sum.7  As  in  Egypt,  before 
the  destroying  angel  went  forth,  the  houses  of  Israel  were 
first  marked ;  and  as  in  Ezekiel's  vision,  the  man  with 
the  inkhorn  first  went  through  Jerusalem  and  marked 
every  one  who  wept  and  sighed  for  the  abominations  done 
therein  before  the  man  with  the  sword  upon  his  thigh 
should  pass  through ;  so  the  sealing  or  marking  of  God's 
people  must  precede  these  judgments.  Thus  showing 
that  God  will  ever  take  care  of  his  people  at  all  times, 
and  under  all  circumstances. 

As  in  the  first  outlook  we  have  the  judgments  as 
already  completed,  so  we  also  have  the  anticipatory  giv- 
ing of  thanks,  as  though  the  final  victory  was  likewise 

7That  these  were  not  Jews  simply,  but  all  God's  chosen  ones, 
will  appear :  ( 1 )  From  the  interchanging  and  intermingling  of 
the  tribes  of  the  free  and  bond  woman,  and  not  according  to 
primegeniture.  Comp.  Gen.  xxix.  and  xxx.  with  Rev.  vii.  5-8. 
(2)  The  restoration  oi  the  name  of  Levi  to  the  list:  There  being 
a  change  of  priesthood,  also  a  change  of  law,  Heb.  vii.  12.  See 
Elliott  I.,  236.  (3)  Of  the  new  song  it  is  said,  Rev.  xiv.  3,  "That 
no  man  could  learn  that  song  but  the  144,000,  which  were  re- 
deemed from  the  earth."  Which  necessarily  covers  all  the  re- 
deemed, both  Jews  and  Gentiles. 


30  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

achieved.  John  sees  the  multitude  of  victors  with  palm 
branches  in  their  hands,  as  having  already  passed  through 
the  tribulation  of  earth,  and  now  led  beside  the  fountains 
of  living  waters,  and  having  all  their  tears  wiped  away 
by  the  hand  of  a  loving  Father. 

Trumpets. 

After  the  sealing  of  the  144,000,  the  angels  with  the 
trumpets  were  commanded  to  sound.  The  trumpet,  the 
usual  signal  for  war,  was  also  employed  to  herald  the  ap- 
proach of  any  important  event.  Here  it  was  used  to  pro- 
claim the  coming  of  those  terrible  judgments  about  to  be 
visited  upon  a  corrupt  church  and  world ;  for,  though 
seemingly  advanced,  the  church  was  really  abased  bv  her 
worldly  alliances.  The  scene  was  preceded  by  voices, 
thunderings,  and  an  earthquake,  all  indicative  of  the  un- 
wonted heaviness  of  those  judgments,  and  in  all  of  which 
we  have  clearly  set  forth  the  invasion  of  the  Northern 
vandal  hordes  upon  the  Roman  empire,  the  then  masters 
of  the  known  world,  with  the  church  of  God  in  her  bosom, 
and  as  her  pretended  guardian  and  protector. 

After  an  half  hour,  or  short  pause  in  the  panoramic 
scene,  for  sake  of  emphasis,  the  seven  angels  proceeded 
to  sound. 

First  Trumpet. 

The  first  angel  sounds,  and  there  followed  hail  and  fire 
mingled  with  blood,  which  were  cast  upon  the  earth,  and 
the  third  part  of  the  trees  were  burned  up ;  that  is,  a  third 
part  of  the  Roman  empire,  or  the  whole,  as  a  third  part 
of  the  world.  In  this  we  have  a  striking  and  most  pic- 
turesque description  of  Alaric  and  the  Goths,  who  made 
several  incursions  into  the  country  from  the  North,  car- 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  31 

rying  destruction  and  ruin  in  their  march — (395-410)  — 
when  he  took  and  sacked  and  burned  the  city  of  Rome. 

Second  Trumpet. 

And  the  second  angel  sounded,  "and  as  it  were  a  great 
mountain,  burning  with  fire,  was  cast  into  the  sea,  and 
the  third  part  of  the  sea  became  blood,  and  the  third  part 
of  the  creatures  which  were  in  the  sea  and  had  life  died, 
and  the  third  part  of  the  ships  were  destroyed." 

Soon  after  the  depredation  of  Alaric,  Attila,  fitly  styled 
"the  scourge  of  God  and  man,"  with  a  large  army  of 
Huns,  ravaged  the  empire,  for  the  space  of  fourteen 
years,  aptly  represented  by  the  burning  mountain  cast 
into  the  sea ;  in  which  another  third  part  of  the  empire 
was  destroyed,  or  as  the  Roman  people  were  estimated 
about  one-third  part  of  the  earth,  another  third  part  of 
the  whole  is  thus  fitly  spoken  of  as  turned  into  blood. 

Third  Trumpet. 

The  third  trumpet  sounded,  and  there  fell  a  great  star 
from  heaven  as  a  burning  lamp,  and  it  fell  upon  a  third 
part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon  the  fountains  of  waters.  And 
the  name  of  the  star  is  called  "Wormwood" ;  and  a  third 
part  of  the  waters  became  wormwood ;  and  men  died  of 
the  waters  because  they  were  bitter. 

Soon  after  Attila's  retreat,  Genseric,  with  a  large  army 
of  300,000  Vandals  and  Moors  from  Africa,  invaded  the 
empire,  and  besieged  and  took  Rome,  and  abandoned  the 
city  to  the  licentiousness  and  cruelty  of  his  soldiers.  The 
bitterness  of  such  an  experience  may  well  be  termed 
"Wormwood."  Genseric  being  also  a  bigoted  Arian, 
and  a  cruel  persecutor  of  the  orthodox  Christians,  like' 


32  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

wise  poisoned  the  fountains,  and  rendered  their  bitter- 
ness still  more  intense. 

■< 

Fourth  Trumpet. 

The  fourth  angel  sounded,  and  the  fourth  part  of  the 
sun  was  smitten,  and  a  third  part  of  the  moon,  and  the 
third  part  of  the  stars;  so  the  third  part  of  them  was 
darkened,  and  the  day  shone  not  for  a  third  part  of  it, 
and  the  night  likewise.  The  judgments  here  reached  the 
government.  If  the  three  preceding  trumpets  refer  to 
the  disasters  sent  upon  the  Roman  empire,  this  trumpet 
is  then  simply  the  completion  of  the  work;  and  we  here 
have  the  final  fulfillment  in  the  complete  overthrow 
of  Roman  supremacy,  and  the  final  establishment  of 
barbarian  dominion  under  Odoacer,  the  king  of  the 
Heruli,  who,  coming  to  Rome  with  an  army  of  barba- 
rians, stripped  Momylus  of  the  imperial  robes,  and  caused 
himself  to  be  proclaimed  king  of  Italy ;  and  thus  putting 
an  end  to  the  very  name  of  the  Western  empire ;  fifty  rep- 
resented by  the  smiting  of  one-third  part  of  the  sun,  moon 
and  stars. 

Woe  Trumpets. 

The  remaining  three  trumpets  are  termed  "Woe  trum- 
pets," on  account  of  the  intense  bitterness  connected  with 
them.  The  four  preceding  ones  seem  to  contain  woe 
enough,  and  bitterness  enough,  but  nothing  to  be  com- 
pared with  the  three  that  are  to  follow,  because  these 
blight  the  soul  as  well  as  destroy  the  body;  and  because 
they  were  to  continue  longer,  and  take  in  a  larger  scope 
in  their  vast  sweep.  The  first  four  trumpets  refer  chiefly 
to  the  downfall  of  the  Western  empire;  these  last  three 
to  the  downfall  of  the  Eastern,  to  be  effected  bv  the  in- 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  33 

flux  of  the  Mohammedan  and  Turkish  hordes,  the  setting 
up  of  the  "Man  of  Sin,"  at  first  stated  in  a  general  way, 
but  afterwards  with  more  fulness  and  distinctness. 

These  trumpets  are  introduced  with  an  angel  flying 
through  mid-heaven,  and  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  "Woe, 
woe,  woe  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  by  reason  of  the 
other  voices  of  the  trumpet  of  the  three  angels  yet  to 
sound." 

Fifth   Trumpet. —  (First  Woe  Trumpet.) 

The  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a  star  fall  from 
heaven  unto  the  earth,  and  to  him  was  given  the  key  to 
the  bottomless  pit,  and  there  arose  a  smoke,  which  dark- 
ened the  sun  and  air,  and  out  of  the  smoke  came  locusts, 
to  which  was  given  power  as  to  scorpions,  and  to  hurt 
only  those  who  had  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  fore- 
heads.    They  should  not  kill,  but  only  torment  for  five 
months.     And  their  torment  was  the  torment  of  a  scor- 
pion.    And  in  those  days  men  desired  to  die,  but  death 
fled   from   them.     The  shapes  of  the  locusts   were  like 
horses  prepared  for  battle.     They  had  a  crown  on  their 
heads,  and  faces  of  men.     Their  hair  as  that  of  women, 
and   teeth  of    lions,   and  breastplates   of    iron,  and   the 
sound  of  their  wings  like  the  sound  of  chariots  of  many 
horses   running  to  battle,   and  had  tails  like   scorpions, 
and  stings  in  their  tails ;  and  had  power  to  hurt  men  five 
months.     And  they  had  a  king  over  them  whose  name 
was  Abaddon  in  Hebrew,  but  Apollyon  in  Greek. 

This  trumpet  is  generally  conceded  to  have  reference 
to  the  Mohammedan  or  Saracenic  conquests ;  the  Moham- 
medan leaders  represented  by  the  star,  and  the  Arabian 
army  by  the  locusts;  with  faces  like  men,  but  long,  flow- 
ing, uncut  hair  like  women,  indicative  of  the  fierceness 


34  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

of  their  nature;  with  the  sting  of  scorpions  in  their  tails, 
poisoning  men  with  the  destructive  doctrines  of  the 
Koran;  their  power  to  torment  being  five  months,  equal 
to  one  hundred  and  fifty  days  or  years,  just  the  length  of 
the  Mohammedan  conquests,  extending  from  A.  D.  612 
to  762. 

"One  woe  is  past,  behold  there  cometh  two  more  woes 
hereafter." 

Sixth   Trumpet. —  (Second  Woe  Trumpet.) 

The  sixth  angel  sounded,  and  with  greater  solem- 
nity, as  a  still  greater  woe  was  coming,  and  as  coming 
from  the  "four  corners  of  the  altar,"  as  the  place  of  the 
guilt.  The  angel  with  the  trumpet  was  ordered  to  loose 
the  four  angels  bound  in  the  great  river  Euphrates.  The 
number  of  the  horsemen  were  two  hundred  thousand 
thousand.  They  had  breast  plates  of  fire,  and  of  jacinth, 
and  of  brimstone.  The  horses  had  heads  of  lions,  and  out 
of  their  mouths  issued  fire  and  smoke  and  brimstone. 
They  had  power  alike  in  their  mouths  and  in  their  tails. 
By  these  the  third  of  men  were  killed.  The  time  for 
which  they  were  prepared  were  an  hour,  a  day,  a  month, 
and  a  year. 

We  are  not  long  in  finding  an  event  in  history  ancTthe 
world  at  that  time,  agreeing  precisely  with  this  descrip- 
tion. The  Mohammedan  or  Saracenic  conquest  was  fol- 
lowed by  that  of  the  Turks,  a  people  of  the  same  general 
spirit  and  character ;  hence  the  similarity  of  the  descrip- 
tion. There  were  four  Sultans  (the  four  angels)  aris- 
ing at  different  times,  but  at  last  uniting  in  the  same 
work,  and  these  angels  were  at  first  bound  or  held  back 
in  their  conquests  by  the  Crusades.  The  description,  too, 
exactly  suited  their  horsemen,  and  the  fierceness  and  ce- 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  35 

lerity  of  their  conquests.  They  had  power  in  their  horses' 
tails  as  well  as  heads,  as  they  carried  the  teachings  of 
Mohammed  with  them,  thus  stinging  men  with  their 
teachings,  as  with  the  sting  of  a  scorpion.  Their  num- 
ber two  myriads,  or  two  ten  thousands  of  thousands, 
equal  to  two  millions,  a  definite  for  an  indefinite  num- 
ber. Their  time,  an  hour,  a  day,  a  month,  and  one  year, 
being  a  total  of  three  hundred  and  ninety-one  days  or 
years ;  the  length  of  the  Turkish  conquests,  beginning 
A.  D.  1281,  and  continuing  till  A.  D.  1672,  the  time  of 
their  last  victory  over  the  Christians. 

In  this  conquest  the  Romans  were  in  a  measure  pro- 
tected by  the  armies  of  the  Crusaders.  So  it  is  added :  "the 
rest  of  the  men,  that  is,  the  Romans,  not  killed  with  these 
plagues,  and  who  were  not  deterred  by  them,  repented 
not  of  the  works  of  their  hands,  but  continued  to  worship 
devils,  and  idols  of  gold  and  silver  and  brass  and  stone 
and  of  wood,  which  can  neither  see  nor  hear  nor  walk." 
In  this  particular  case,  as  in  the  preceding  trumpet, 
the  description  given  and  the  developed  facts  seem  won- 
derfully to  agree. 

A  Pause. 
Before  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet,  introduc- 
ing the  third  and  last  great  woe,  there  is  a  pause  in  the 
vision  to  introduce  "The  Little  Book,"  with  its  account 
of  the  slaying  of  the  witnesses.  The  arrest  was  made 
with  the  statement  that  the  mystery  of  God  connected 
with  the  last  great  woe  would  not  yet  or  then  be  revealed, 
as  the  time  was  not  yet  (xpovo$  oux  eorac  stc)  but  wotld 
be  at  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet. 

The  Little  Book. — (The  Reformation.) 
John  saw  a  mighty  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  with 


36  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

a  little  open  book  in  his  hand,  which,  upon  his  request, 
was  given  him  with  instruction  to  eat  it,  which  he  did ; 
but  soon  found  it,  as  the  angel  had  foretold,  both  sweet 
as  honey  to  his  mouth,  but  all  bitterness  within,  and  also 
the  added  instruction,  "Thou  must  prophesy  again  before 
many  peoples  and  nations  and  tongues  and  kings."  A 
very  striking  statement  indeed,  as,  before  the  Reforma- 
tion, preaching  had  fallen  into  disuse,  the  mass  and  other 
ceremonial  observances  having  wholly  taken  its  place. 
In  looking  for  the  fulfillment  of  this  symbol  we  are  at 
once  reminded  of  the  Reformation  in  the  time  of  Luther 
and  his  coadjutors  in  the  preaching  of  the  true  gospel 
preparatory  to  and  connected  with  the  second  great  up- 
heaval. In  this  preaching  of  the  gospel  there  was  a  strik- 
ing admixture  of  bitter  things  with  much  that  was  ex- 
ceedingly sweet. 

Slaying  of  the  Witnesses. 

In  this  connection  we  have  the  measuring  of  the  temple, 
the  casting  out  of  the  apostatized  portion,  and  giving  up 
the  court  without  to  the  Gentiles,  who  were  to  tread  it 
under  foot  forty-two  months;  that  is,  twelve  hundred 
and  sixty  days,  or  years,  during  which  time  the  two  wit- 
nesses should  prophesy;  not  two  men,  or  even  two  peo- 
ples, who  were  to  live  that  long,  but  the  continuation  of 
faithful  witnesses ;  and  two,  because  that  number  was  re- 
quired by  the  Mosaic  law  to  establish  any  fact.  These 
should  prophesy  clothed  in  sackcloth ;  and  when  they  shall 
have  finished,  or  about  to  finish,  their  testimony — or  fin- 
ished at  least  so  far  as  the  purpose  was  concerned,  for 
they  are  still  bearing  testimony,  and  always  will — the 
beast,  that  was  to  ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  and  to 
be  afterwards  described,  would  slay  them,  and  leave  their 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  37 

bodies  unburied  for  three  days  and  a  half  in  the  streets 
of  the  city  spiritually  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  the 
former  on  account  of  its  wickedness,  and  the  latter  on 
account  of  its  oppression;  and  after  three  days  and  a 
half  would  come  to  life  again  and  ascend  up  unto  heaven. 
Some,  like  Scott,  that  prince  of  interpreters,  and  fol- 
lowing Bishop  Newton,  have  held  that  the  matters  here 
spoken  of  are  yet  in  the  future ;  but  it  does  seem  that  the 
events  happening  since  their  clay  show  them  to  be  mis- 
taken, and  too  clearly  prove  that  the  time  is  past  for  the 
fulfillment  of  this  part  of  the  prophecy-  These  two  wit- 
nesses obviously  were  slain  with  the  suppression  of  the 
gospel  in  15 14,  when  the  whole  world  was  under  Popish 
authority,  and  when  at  the  Council  of  Constance  the 
orator  of  the  occasion,  at  the  ninth  session,  May  5th  of 
that  year,  could  and  did  say,  "Jam  nemo  reclamat  nullus 
obsistet"  (No  one  nozv  denies,  no  one  opposes)..  .But 
the  witnesses  were  not  buried,  nor  really  dead,  for  it  was 
on  the  2 1  st  of  October,  15 18,  only  three  years  afterwards, 
that  Luther  nailed  his  theses  to  the  church's  door  posts 
at  Wittemberg,  when  the  witnesses  came  to  life  again, 
and  have  been  living  and  testifying  ever  since ;  and  taken 
up  to  God,  not  in  the  sense  of  leaving  the  world,  but  in 
the  sense  of  being  kept  and  preserved  by  him,  never 
again  to  be  silenced  or  put  to  death. 

Second  Great  Earthquake. 

After  the  resurrection  of  the  two  witnesses,  and  in 
connection  with  it,  there  was  a  second  great  earthquake 
or  upheaval,  when  a  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell,  and  of 
men,  ten  thousand  were  slain,  and  the  remnant  were  af- 
frighted and  gave  glory  to  God ;  all  fulfilled  in  the  Refor- 
mation  in  Luther's   day,   which  was   truly   a   great  up- 


38  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

heaval,  in  which  there  was  a  great  loss  to,  and  falling 
away  from,  the  doctrines  of  Popery,  and  when  the  Brit- 
ish Isles,  one  of  the  ten  minor  kingdoms  into  which  the 
Roman  empire  was  divided,  came  out  from  under  the 
Romish  yoke. 

At  this  stage  of  the  prophecy  the  announcement  is 
made,  "The  second  woe  is  past,  and  behold  a  third  woe 
cometh  quickly." 

Seventh  Trumpet. — (Third  Woe  Trumpet.) 

As  the  third  woe  is  the  largest  and  longest  in  continu- 
ance, and  had  already  commenced,  and  needed  a  more 
minute  description,  the  announcement  is  here  simply 
made  that  the  seventh  angel  sounded  his  trumpet,  and 
the  result  given  as  already  accomplished,  as  well  as  a 
general  outlook,  and  in  the  following  terms : 

"And  the  seventh  angel  sounded,  and  there  were  great 
voices  in  heaven  saying,  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  have 
become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  his  Christ,  and  he 
shall  reign  forever  and  ever."  And,  as  anticipating  the 
final  result,  the  heavenly  hosts  fell  on  their  faces  and 
worshipped  God,  saying,  "we  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord 
God  Almighty,  which  art  and  wast,  and  art  to  come,  be- 
cause thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy  great  power  and  hast 
reigned." 

Here  with  this  general  outlook,  in  which  the  final  an- 
ticipatory triumph  of  the  church  is  asserted,  the  first  part 
of  the  book  closes. 

Third  Great  Woe. 

After  this  glowing  doxology  the  prophecy  goes  back 
a  little  to  give  a  fuller  account  of  the  great  woe  of  which 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  39 

mention  has  already  been  made,  and  of  things  written 
"without"  the  book,  as  Elliott  suggests.  As  the  Papacy 
is  clearly  the  great  woe,  and  had  already  been  in  existence 
for  centuries  before  this  time,  the  prophecy  goes  back  to 
give  a  fuller  account  of  its  origin,  rise,  and  progress. 
We  have  this  account  in  Chapter  xii. 

Wonder  in  Heaven. 

John  saw,  in  the  firmamental  heaven,  a  woman  clothed 
with  the  sun,  with  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  with  a 
crown  of  twelve  stars  upon  her  head,  all  indicative  of 
majesty,  and  about  to  be  delivered  of  a  child;  whilst  a 
great  red  dragon,  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and 
seven  crowns  upon  his  heads,  and  with  his  tail  drawing 
the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven,  was  standing  before 
the  woman  ready  to  devour  the  child  as  soon  as  born. 
The  woman  brought  forth  a  man  child,  who  was  to  rule 
the  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron.  But  her  child  was  caught 
up  to  God  and  his  throne ;  and  the  woman  fled  into  the 
wilderness,  where  she  had  a  place  prepared  of  God,  that 
they  should  feed  her  there  for  a  thousand  two  hundred 
and  three  score  days. 

He  also  saw,  in  this  connection,  Satan,  spoken  of  as 
a  dragon,  cast  out  of  the  firmamental  heaven,  where  pre- 
viously seen  as  the  great  Adversary  and  accuser  of  the 
brethren ;  and  now,  being  cast  out,  began  persecuting 
the  woman,  casting  out  water  out  of  his  mouth,  and 
seeking  to  destroy  her;  but  God  gave  her  two  great 
wings,  by  which  she  fled  into  the  wilderness,  and  where 
she  was  "nourished  for  a  time  and  times  and  a  half," 
that  is,  three  and  a  half  years,  or  1,260  days. 

These  two  visions  seem  clearly  to  refer  to  the  same 
event ;   the   first  being   anticipatory   of   the   second ;   the 


40  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

first  stating  in  general  terms  what  is  more  fully  ex- 
plained in  the  second,  the  woman  being  the  same  and 
representing  the  church  in  both  instances,  and  the  child 
her  prospective  increase  and  enlargement. 

The   Red   Dragon. — (Rome    Pagan.) 

The  Red  Dragon,  with  its  seven  heads  or  forms  of  gov- 
ernment, and  ten  horns  or  kingdoms,  is  clearly  Rome 
Pagan,  as  generally  admitted,  even  by  Papists.  Satan 
and  the  Dragon  are  interchangeably  used,  because  he 
works  through  the  Dragon.  As  he  is  called  "the  old 
serpent,"  because  he  first  appeared  to  our  first  parents  in 
the  garden  in  the  form  of  a  serpent,  and  worked  through 
the  serpent,  so  here  he  is  the  Red  Dragon  because  he 
entered  the  Red  Dragon  and  worked  through  it.  And 
the  name  is  the  more  appropriate  as  the  Dragon  was  the 
original  standard  of  the  Roman  legions ;  and  because,  as 
the  Red  Dragon,  Rome  had  subdued  one-third  of  the 
princes  of  the  world ;  so  he  is  represented  as  drawing 
one-third  of  the  stars  with  his  tail.  The  general  idea, 
then,  is  that  as  there  was  about  to  be  an  enlargement  in 
the  church,  in  the  conversion  of  Constantine,  and  suc- 
cessive Christian  emperors,  who  were  appointed  of  God 
to  punish  the  enemies  of  the  gospel,  and  thus  "rule  the 
world  with  a  rod  of  iron,"  Satan  instigated  Rome  Pagan 
to  endeavor  to  thwart  the  purpose  by  persecuting  the 
woman,  or  church,  who  was  hid  by  God  in  the  wilderness 
for  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years,  the  church's  increase 
being  taken  to  heaven  in  the  sense  of  being  defended  and 
preserved  by  the  Lord;  the  two  great  wings  given  the 
woman  being  the  Eastern  and  Western  empires,  and  the 
water  out  of  the  Dragon's  mouth  and  helping  the  woman 
being  the  multitudes  of  Northern  hordes  who  remained 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  41 

at  Rome  after  the  invasion  and  were  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity, and  thus  becoming  helpers  of  the  cause. 

The  further  continuance  and  progress  of  this  struggle 
between  the  woman  and  her  adversaries  are  set  forth  in 
the  rising  of  two  beasts,  or  enemies,  one  from  the  sea, 
the  other  from  the  earth,  against  both  of  which  she  must 
contend. 

First  Beast. —  (Rome  Christian.) 

The  first  beast  is  described  as  coming  out  of  the  sea, 
having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  upon  the  horns 
ten  crowns,  and  upon  these  heads  "the  name  of  blas- 
phemy." The  beast  was  like  unto  a  leopard,  his  feet  as 
the  feet  of  a  bear,  his  mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a  lion.  And 
the  Dragon  gave  him  his  pojwer  and  his  seat  and  his 
great  authority.  One  of  his  heads  was  wounded  as 
unto  death,  but  his  deadly  wound  was  healed,  and  all 
the  world  wondered  after  the  beast.  And  they  worshipped 
the  Dragon  and  worshipped  the  beast,  saying,  "Who  is 
like  unto  the  beast,  and  'who  is  able  to  make  war  with 
him?"  And  unto  him  was  given  a  mouth  speaking  great 
things,  and  blasphemies ;  and  power  was  given  unto  him 
to  continue  forty-two  months.  And  it  was  given  him  to 
make  war  with  the  saints,  and  to  overcome  them.  And 
power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds  and  tongues  and 
nations.  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  worship 
him,  whose  names  are  not  written  in  the  book  of  life. 

If  the  Red  Dragon  be  Rome  Pagan,  as  interpreters, 
and  even  Papists  themselves  generally  admit,  then  it  is 
but  a  step,  and  an  easy  one  at  that,  to  the  conclusion, 
that  this  first  beast  was  Rome  Christian ;  that  is,  the  same 
power  as  before ;  in  other  words,  the  Red  Dragon  with 
the  form  of  Christianity  engrafted  upon  it ;  for  it  derived 


42  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

its  seat  and  all  its  power  and  authority  from  the  Dragoi.. 
In  other  words,  this  first  beast  was  the  same  Dragon, 
modified  and  held  in  check  by  the  elements  of  this  new 
religion. 

Notice  the  description,  how  sharply  drawn,  and  how 
applicable  to  Rome.  Seven  heads!  that  is,  seven  forms 
of  government.  The  different  forms  of  government  of 
Rome  were,  viz.,  Kings,  Consuls,  Dictators,  Decemvirs, 
Military  Tribunes,  Emperors  (the  head  wounded  and  af- 
terwards healed)  and  Dukedom.  "Ten  horns"!  that  is, 
ten  kingdoms  into  which  the  empire  was  divided,  already 
mentioned,  viz.,  Ostrogoths,  Visigoths,  Sueves  and 
Allans,  Vandals,  Franks,  Burgundians,  Heruli,  Saxons 
and  Angles,  Huns,  Lombards. 

Notice,  too,  the  Dragon  had  seven  crowns  upon  his 
seven  heads ;  that  is,  had  his  power  within  himself.  But 
this  beast  differs  in  this,  that  his  crowns,  ten  in  number, 
are  not  upon  his  heads,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Dragon,  but 
upon  his  horns,  showing  his  authority  being  not  within 
himself,  but  as  coming  from  the  kingdoms' composing 
the  empire.  He  also  had  the  additional  name  of  "Blas- 
phemy," growing  out  of  the  engrafted  and  perverted 
abuses  of  the  religious  element. 

Further,  one  of  the  heads,  the  sixth  (the  emperor), 
was  wounded  "unto  death,"  representing  the  entire  sub- 
version of  imperial  authority  in  the  time  of  Augustulus, 
when  Rome  became  a  Dukedom,  subject  to  the  Exarchate 
of  Ravenna ;  but  afterwards  healed  in  the  revival  of  the 
imperial  name  and  dignity,  in  the  person  of  Charlemagne, 
who  was  proclaimed  Augustus.  And  this  beast  withal 
had  all  the  characteristics  of  the  different  animals ;  the 
leopard,  bear,  and  lion,  because  he  had  the  same  spirit 
and  power  of  the  former  kingdom.     He  was  to  "prac- 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  43 

tice"  and  continue  to  exercise  his  power  for  forty-two 
months.  What  other  power  ever  existed,  agreeing  at  all 
with  this  description? 

Second   Beast. —  (Rome   Papal.) 

The  prophet  saw  a  second  beast.  The  first  he  saw  had 
seven  heads  and  ten  horns ;  but  this  one  had  only  two 
horns,  and  was  like  a  lamb.  The  first  beast  came  up  out 
of  the  sea;  out  of  the  wars  and  tumults  of  the  world. 
This  last  comes  silently  up,  like  a  plant  out  of  the  earth. 
This  second  beast  exerciseth  all  the  power  of  the  first 
that  had  been  healed.  He  also  doeth  wonders ;  maketh 
fire  to  come  down  from  heaven  in  sight  of  men,  and  de- 
ceiveth  by  means  of  those  miracles,  saying  to  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth,  that  they  should  make  an  image  of 
the  beast  that  had  been  wounded  by  the  sword  and  did 
live,  and  that  no  man  should  buy  or  sell,  without  the 
mark  and  number  of  the  beast ;  the  mark  being  put, 
either  "upon  the  forehead,"  as  evidence  of  profession,  or 
"on  the  hand,"  in  token  of  service. 

If  the  first  beast  be  Rome  Christian,  then  the  second 
can  be  nothing  else  than  Rome  Papal,  or  the  Romish 
hierarchy;  for  he  is  connected  with  the  first  beast,  being 
its  legitimate  offspring,  and  which  he  has  caused  all  men 
to  worship.  The  further  description  also  fixes  this  inter- 
pretation, as  it  had  two  horns,  viz.,  the  two  orders  of  her 
clergy,  or  two  sources  of  her  power,  secular  and  spiritual. 
Its  identification  also  with  the  image  to  be  made  proves 
the  same  thing,  as  we  shall  see. 

Image  of  the  Beast. 

We  do  not  agree  with  Newton,  who  is  followed  by 
Scott  and  Clark,  in  holding  that  the  Pope  is  the  image, 


44  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

nor  yet  with  Elliott,  who  interprets  it  of  the  Ecclesiasti- 
cal Councils.  We  understand  it  of  the  second  beast  it- 
self; in  other  words,  the  Papacy.  This  identity  is  clearly 
inferable  if  not  expressly  stated.  It  will  be  noticed  that 
the  second  beast  neither  makes  the  image  nor  worships  it, 
but  puts  this  upon  the  people.  So  Popery  is  not  the  direct 
creation  of  the  civil  government,  but  grew  up  among 
the  people,  and  had  civil  power  engrafted  upon  it.  It  will 
be  noticed  that  the  second  beast  had  all  the  power  of  the 
first,  whom  it  orders  all  men  to  worship.  It  not  only 
had  power  to  order  the  making  of  the  image,  but  also  to 
impart  life  and  power  to  it,  both  to  make  it  speak,  and 
to  require  all  men  to  worship  it ;  and  yet,  what  is  passing 
strange,  and  even  marvellous,  is  that,  though  thus  clothed 
with  such  regal  power,  being  the  successor  and  posses- 
sor of  all  the  rights  and  prerogatives  of  the  first  beast  and 
dragon,  yet  itself  is  not  worshipped.  The  dragon  and  first 
beast  are  said  to  be  worshipped  (Chap.  xiii.  4),  but  not 
the  second  beast.  Wherefore?  The  answer  seems  easy, 
because  the  image  and  the  second  beast  are  one  and  the 
same,  and  worship  rendered  the  one  is  worship  rendered 
the  other.  The  dragon  merges  into  the  first  beast,  and 
the  first  beast  merges  into  the  second,  with  the  Papacy 
as  the  perfected  image  and  culmination  of  the  whole. 
Indeed,  a  mere  glance  is  sufficient  to  show  that  the  first 
and  second  beasts,  and  the  image,  are  all  associated  to- 
gether, as  members  of  a  common  firm,  and  actuated  by  a 
common  impulse,  the  destruction  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
As  the  horses  in  the  seals  are  one,  under  different  colors, 
so  these  are  all  one,  only  under  different  forms  and  dif- 
ferent stages  of  development.  I  therefore  hold  and  earn- 
estly maintain,  that  the  "Antichrist,"  or  "Man  of  Sin," 
is  not  simply  the  dragon,  or  first,  or  second  beast  alone, 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  45 

but  all  three  combined:  a  triune  monster  of  iniquity,  all 
working  in  harmony,  and  all  under  the  control  of  the 
first  great  dragon,  Satan ;  the  acts  of  the  one  being  the 
acts  of  the  others,  and  worship  rendered  the  one  being 
worship  rendered  the  others. 

We  see,  therefore — 

1st,  Why  no  mention  is  made  of  any  worship  rendered 
the  second  beast ;  because  rendered  the  image,  its  repre- 
sentative. 

2nd,  Why  the  name  of  the  monster  is  always  "beast," 
and  never  "beasts" ;  although  spoken  of  as  three,  they  are 
really  but  one. 

3rd,  Herein,  too,  is  the  answer  to  the  objections  that 
have  been  raised :  that  the  forty-two  months,  as  the  time 
given  for  the  existence  of  the  beast,  as  well  as  what  is 
said  concerning  the  shedding  of  the  blood  of  the  saints, 
is  affirmed  only  of  the  first  beast ;  and  further,  that  Popery 
cannot  be  both  the  Woman  and  the  beast  she  was  riding ; 
the  point  of  these  objections  being  to  relieve  the  Papacy  of 
all  complicity  with  the  beast,  and  all  participation  in  its 
guilt.  The  answer  to  it  all  is  found  in  their  essential 
unity.  What  is  true  61  the  one  is  true  of  all  the  others. 
The  signature  of  any  one  of  a  firm  being  the  signature  of 
the  whole. 

4th,  We  likewise  can  see  why  the  second  beast  puts  the 
mark  and  number  of  the  entire  beast  upon  all  the  subjects 
of  the  kingdom,  because  it  stands  and  acts  as  the  repre- 
sentative and  accredited  agent  of  the  whole. 

5th,  We  will  also  see,  as  we  further  proceed,  the  exact 
fitness  of  the  suggestive  name  as  given  the  beast,  viz., 
"The  Latin  Man,"  because  Latin,  in  all  of  its  transforma- 
tions, whether  pagan,  Christian,  or  Papal. 


46  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 


Number  of  the  Name. 

The  number  of  the  name  as  given  is  666.  "Here  is 
wisdom;  let  him  that  hath  understanding  count  the  num- 
ber of  the  beast,  for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man" ;  that  is, 
a  name,  the  number  of  the  numerical  value  of  its  letters 
would  amount  to  666.  As  a  challenge  is  here  given,  it  is 
no  evidence  of  presumption  should  we  attempt,  at  least,  to 
find  out  the  number,  especially  as  it  is  so  closely  linked 
with  the  intolerance  of  the  beast,  no  one  being  allowed  or 
tolerated,  unless  bearing  the  same.  Now  it  is  a  remark- 
able fact  that  the  name  Lateinos,  The  Latin  Man,  the 
name  of  the  fourth  kingdom  seen  by  Daniel,  makes  666, 
both  in  Greek  and  Hebrew.  This  solution  was  first  sug- 
gested by  Irenaeus,  as  far  back  as  the  second  century, 
and  some  three  centuries  before  the  rise  of  the  beast. 
Says  he,  "Lateinos8  has  the  number  666,  and  it  is  a  very 
probable  solution,  this  being  the  name  of  the  last  king- 
dom of  the  four  seen  by  Daniel."  (Clark's  Pub.,  107.) 
And  this  has  been  the  common  interpretation  among 
protestants  ever  since.  As  to  the  appropriateness  of  the 
name,  we  leave  the  reader  to  judge,  since  her  letters, 
decrees  and  services  are  all  in  Latin.  The  two  words  in 
Greek  and  Hebrew  are  Lateinos  and  Romiith. 

"The  word  is  spelled  both  with  "ei"  and  "i,"  as  Lateinos  and 
Latinos.  See  Sehleusner's  Lex.  But  the  former  and  less  com- 
mon spelling  is  here  used,  as  Professor  Stuart  suggests,  "For  the 
very  purpose  of  concealment."    Com.  in  Loc. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  47 

Greek.  Hebreiv. 

-     -     -     -     30  ")       -     -     -     -    -     200 


a 


-       1  1    -----     -         6 

t    - 300  tD  ------    40 

£ -     -       5  "• "      IO 

t 10  ^     ------      10 

v       -------      50  fi   ------    400 

o -70  


S 


200  666 


666 

Here  we  have,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  a  most  singular 
thing,  that  the  same  name  should  have  the  same  numeri- 
cal value  in  both  Greek  and  Hebrew,  the  two  languages 
in  which  the  Scriptures  were  written.9 

Ere  the  declaration  of  the  downfall  of  this  beast, 
known  as  the  mystical  Babylon,  and  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  God's  people,  the  prophet  again  sees  the  144,000 
already  sealed,  standing  upon  mount  Zion  with  the  Lamb, 
and  singing  a  new  song;  and  also  another  angel  flying 
through  the  midst  of  heaven,  with  commission  to  preach 
the  everlasting  gospel  to  every  nation  kindred,  tongue, 
and  tribe. 

In  quick  succession,  another  angel  follows,  crying, 
"Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  great  city,  because  she 
has  made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her 
fornication." 

Then  follows  the  third  angel,  saying  with  a  loud  voice, 


9Dr.  Clark  gives  ^  Aartvr)  Ilaedsia,  the  Latin  kingdom,  as  the 
interpretation,  for,  says  he,  "No  other  kingdom  on  earth  can  be 
found  to  contain  666."  Thus:  rj  =  8,  A  =  30,  a  =  I,  r  = 
300,  t  =  IO,  v  =  50,  r)  =  8,  fi  -»  2,  «  =  I,  (T  =  200, 
e  =  20,  A  =  30,  e  =  5,  «  =  IO,  a  =  1,  =  666. 


48  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

and  by  way  of  warning  or  caveat,  "If  any  man  worship 
the  beast  and  his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  fore- 
head, or  in  his  hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of 
the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  without  mixture  into 
the  cup  of  his  indignation." 

Thus,  not  only  is  the  great  city  to  be  destroyed,  but,  ac- 
cording to  the  commission  of  the  third  angel,  the  curse 
shall  even  extend  to  all  the  worshippers  of  the  beast,  in 
every  place  and  in  every  land. 

The  world  not  being  influenced  by  the  warning  of  these 
three  angels,  then  follows  by  anticipation  the  prophetic 
description  of  the  execution  of  the  threatened  judg- 
ments. This  is  set  forth  under  the  figure  of  a  harvest  or 
vintage;  as  much  as  to  say,  that  the  destruction,  when  it 
does  come,  will  be  so  terrible,  and  the  blood  shed  so 
abundantly,  that,  like  the  wine  pressed  from  the  grapes 
in  the  vintage,  the  stream  would  reach  even  to  the  horses' 
bridles ;  and  this  to  extend  "a  thousand  and  six  hundred 
furlongs,"  or  two  hundred  miles,  the  exact  length  of  the 
old  papal  dominions.  How  terrific  the  judgments  yet  to 
be  visited  upon  the  idolatrous  and  wicked  city! 

Seven  Last  Plagues. 

After  these  prophetic  warnings  and  delays,  as  if  loath 
to  issue  the  order  for  the  execution  of  the  sentence,  one 
of  the  four  Living  Creatures  gave  the  seven  vials,  con- 
taining the  seven  last  plagues  to  the  seven  angels,  with  in- 
structions to  empty  them  upon  the  earth. 

First  Vial. 

In  obedience  to  the  above  instruction,  the  first  angel 
poured   out   his   vial   upon   the   earth,   and   there   fell   a 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  49 

grievous  sore  upon  the  man  that  had  the  mark  of  the 
beast,  and  them  which  worshipped  his  image.  This  sore 
or  running  ulcer,  similar  to  one  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt, 
was  but  the  fit  emblem  of,  and  fulfilled  in,  the  blatent  in- 
fidelity, national  and  individual,  social  disorder  and  moral 
corruption  of  France  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century;  and  just  before,  and  preparatory  to,  the  great 
revolution  which  shook  all  Europe  to  its  centre.  Thus 
poured  out  upon  France  because  at  that  time  the  lead- 
ing supporter  of  the  Papal  throne  and  worshipper  of 
the  image.  In  the  days  of  Charlemagne  she  took  the 
lead  in  restoring  the  Papacy ;  and  on  account  of  her  con- 
stant and  unswerving  devotion  to  the  interest  of  the 
Papal  See,  her  king  received  from  the  Pope  the  loving 
sobriquet,  "The  eldest  son  of  the  church,"  upon  whom 
she  leaned,  and  from  whom  she  expected  support. 

Second  Vial. 

The  second  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  sea,  as 
the  other  upon  the  earth ;  upon  the  sea  as  the  representa- 
tive of  the  turbulent  seething  masses  of  men ;  and,  as  in 
another  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt,  the  sea  became  as  blood 
of  a  dead  man.  According  to  Alison,10  over  a  million 
persons  were  put  to  death  in  France  during  the  Reign  of 
Terror.  And  not  in  France  alone,  but  all  Europe,  accord- 
ing to  the  saying  of  Napoleon,  that  "A  revolution  in 
France  is  sooner  or  later  followed  by  a  revolution  in  all 
Europe."  And  thus  it  was.  As  the  result  of  the  revolu- 
tion, all  Europe  was  deluged  in  blood.  It  is  quite  easy 
therefore  to  see  how  this  emblem  of  pouring  out  on  land 
and  sea  fitly  represents  the  murders  and  terrible  scenes 

10I.,  310. 


50  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

of  the  French  revolution,  and  which  led  to  the  revolution 
1 1     Prophesy. 

in  Europe,  in  which  human  blood  flowed  as  a  sea,  and 
which,  instead  of  leading  to  repentance,  only  resulted  in 
increased  wickedness  and  rebellion  of  heart. 

Third  Vial. 

The  third  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  rivers 
and  fountains  of  waters,  and  they  also  became  blood; 
this  being  but  a  continuation  of  the  same  judgments  as 
in  the  two  preceding  vials,  only  more  general,  now  per- 
meating the  whole  land,  and  reaching  even  to  individuals 
and  communities,  as  well  as  to  the  centres  of  govern- 
ments. The  revolution,  local  at  first,  soon  became  gen- 
eral, and,  like  an  ocean  upheaval,  covering  all  Europe 
with  its  disastrous  effects,  as  already  indicated. 

Fourth  Vial. 

The  fourth  angel  poured  his  vial  upon  the  sun,  and 
giving  him  power  to  scorch  men  with  fire.  In  accord- 
ance with  the  general,  and  we  may  say  the  invariable  in- 
terpretation of  this  symbol,  the  sun  and  moon  standing 
for  governments  and  rulers,  this  pouring  out  of  a  vial 
upon  the  sun,  must  mean  nothing  more  than  military  rule 
or  despotism ;  and  if  Napoleon  and  his  military  contem- 
poraries did  not  scorch  the  world,  it  will  never  be  again. 
Without  enlarging,  we  point  to  the  Napoleonic  wars  and 
the  devastation  and  accompanying  terrors  and  dismay 
that  followed,  and  reaching  all  the  governments  of 
Europe,  as  the  exact  fulfillment  of  this  vial,  both  as  to 
time  and  place,  it  being  in  close  connection,  following 
upon  the  very  heels  of  the  three  preceding  ones. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  51 

Fifth  Vial. 

The  fifth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  seat  of  the 
beast,  and  his  kingdom  became  dark,  and  they  gnawed 
their  tongues,  and  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven;  all  of 
which  was  most  strikingly  fulfilled,  beginning  in  1798, 
when  Rome  fell  into  the  hand  of  the  French  army,  and 
the  Vatican  was  robbed  of  its  works  of  art,  and  the  Pope 
compelled  to  flee;  again  repeated  in  1868,  when  Victor 
Emanuel  disrobed  "the  Papal  See  of  all  temporal  power, 
and  Rome  was  thrown  open  to  all  the  world.  And  later 
still,  in  1900,  in  the  disasters  upon  Spain,  another  seat  of 
Papal  power  and  supremacy. 

Sixth  Vial. 

The  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  river 
Euphrates,  to  dry  up  the  river,  and  to  "prepare  the  way 
for  the  kings  of  the  East."  In  this  prediction  we  think 
we  clearly  see  reference  to  the  Turks.  Nor  is  this  inter- 
pretation so  arbitrary  as  may  at  first  appear.  In  the 
sixth  trumpet  the  horsemen  were  turned  loose  from  the 
river  Euphrates.  This  is  generally  admitted  to  refer  to 
the  Turkish  conquests.  If  so,  the  drying  up  of  that  river 
is  simply  to  dry  up  the  source  of  that  power ;  in  other 
words,  the  weakening,  if  not  the  entire  overthrow,  of  that 
government.  The  Turkish  power  has  for  some  time  been 
waning.  As  far  back  as  1820,  with  the  insurrection  in 
Greece,  Wallachia,  and  Maldovia ;  the  taking  of  Algiers 
in  1829,  and  the  loosening  of  its  hold  upon  Egypt;  and 
now  upon  its  tottering  throne  we  see  indelibly  stamped 
the  unmistakable  seal  of  prophecy  forecasting  its  impend- 
ing doom.  The  present  and  past  discontent  and  unrest 
are   but   the   distant   mutterings   of   the   coming   storm; 


52  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

nothing  now  supporting  it  but  the  strategic  policy  of  the 
interested  princes  of  Christendom. 

Battle  of  Armageddon. 

Before  the  pouring  out  of  the  seventh  vial  we  have  an 
account  of  the  preparation  for  the  final  great  struggle 
between  the  church  and  her  enemies.  Three  unclean 
spirits  like  frogs  are  seen  going  forth  to  gather  all  the 
kings  of  the  earth,  with  all  their  forces,  to  a  place,  called 
in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon.  As  the  battle  is  no 
real  battle,  but  simply  a  struggle  of  principle,  so  no  par- 
ticular locality  is  intended,  but  simply  a  place  of  de- 
struction, as  the  word  seems  to  mean  "Mountain  of 
Megiddo" ;  so  designated  from  Megiddo,  the  place  that 
witnessed  the  slaughter  of  the  Canaanites  in  the  days  of 
Barak,  when  the  stars  fought  in  their  courses  against 
Sisera  (Judg.  v.  19),  as  well  as  the  scene  of  the  defeat 
of  Josiah,  and  the  great  lamentation  which  followed.  (2 
Chron.  xxxv.  23-25.) 

Three  Unclean  Spirits. 

The  sources  from  whence  these  unclean  spirits  proceed 
show  the  work  to  be  done,  as  well  as  the  agents  to  be  em- 
ployed. 

1,  One  is  to  proceed  from  the  mouth  of  the  dragon; 
that  is,  Rome  pagan,  which  points  to  pagan  idolatry  as 
one  of  the  agents  to  be  employed. 

2,  The  second  from  the  mouth  of  the  beast;  that  is, 
Rome  Pseudochristian.  In  the  union  of  church  and  state 
under  Constantine,  instead  of  a  friend,  the  church  only 
found,  in  her  pretended  ally,  a  bitter,  relentless  foe,  a 
very  beast  indeed,  sordid,  fierce,  corrupt,  preying  upon 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  53 

her  flesh,  and  drinking  her  very  life's  blood.  This  sym- 
bol finds  its  interpretation  in  every  unholy  alliance  of 
Church  and  state,  as  well  as  in  the  different  forms  of 
worldly  entanglements  and  associations,  leading  alike  to 
her  enslavement  and  ruin. 

3,  The  third  from  the  month  of  the  False  Prophet; 
that  is,  Rome  Papal,  the  pretended  expositor  of  the  word, 
and  yet  the  great  perverter  of  the  truth.  This  symbol 
points  to  the  different  pervertings  and  obscurings  of  the 
truth  as  the  third  method  to  be  employed. 

Here  then,  in  these  three  suggestive  symbols,  we  have 
the  different  methods  to  be  used  by  the  adversary  in  the 
last  great  struggle. 

1st,  He  will,  as  far  as  possible,  continue  to  keep  the 
world  under  the  chains  of  heathenish  darkness  and  away 
from  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  ever  seeking  to  drown 
every  uplifted  and  opposing  voice,  with  the  old  cry, 
"Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians." 

2nd,  He  will  seek  to  weaken  and  destroy  the  influence 
and  power  of  the  church,  directly,  if  possible,  by  the  use 
of  Csesar's  sword ;  if  not,  just  as  effectively,  though  more 
steathily,  by  means  of  worldly  entanglements  and  alli- 
ances. 

3rd,  By  false  and  heretical  teaching;  if  not  entirely  to 
deny  and  disown,  to  degrade  the  religion  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  by  covering  it  up  in  a  mass  of  worthless 
forms  and  ceremonies,  so  as  to  rob  it  of  its  power  or  else 
secure  the  same  end  by  human  additions  and  substitu- 
tions, calculated  only  to  deceive  and  to  lead  to  destruction. 

In  the  setting  up  of  these  and  similar  golden  calves 
in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom,  these  croaking  spirits 
are  ever  calling  to  the  people,  and  saying,  "These  be  thy 
gods,  O  Israel,"  and  thus  preparing  for  the  final  struggle, 


54  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

which  is  to  result  in  the  destruction  of  the  beast  and 
False  Prophet,  as  well  as  all  the  other  enemies  of  the 
Lord.  The  time  for  this  destruction  is  not  now  given; 
but  we  have  an  anticipatory  description  of  it  further  on, 
in  Chapter  xix.  17-21.  Only  this  caveat  is  here  added: 
"Behold  I  come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that  waitcheth 
and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they 
see  his  shame." 

Seventh  Vial. 

The  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial  in  the  air  (uni- 
serval),  followed  by  thunderings,  lightnings,  and  the  final 
great  earthquake  or  upheaval,  that  is  to  usher  in  the 
Millennium;  described  as  the  greatest  earthquake  men 
have  ever  seen,  or  ever  will  see;  when  the  great  city  is 
to  be  divided  into  three  parts,  cities  of  nations  are  to  fall, 
and  the  great  Babylon  will  come  for  remembrance  be- 
fore God;  and  when  the  last  judgment,  like  hail  of  the 
size  of  a  talent,  shall  be  visited  upon  the  earth. 

Babylon. 

After  the  pouring  out  of  these  vials,  we  have  presented 
a  more  extended  and  minute  account  of  the  great  city  of 
Babylon,  spoken  of  as  the  great  whore,  or  apostate  church, 
the  mother  of  abominations,  with  whom  the  kings  of  the 
earth  have  committed  fornications;  and  also  the  judg- 
ments to  be  visited  upon  her. 

This  apostate  or  persecuting  church  is  presented  as  a 
woman,  drunk  with  the  blood  of  saints,  and  with  the 
blood  of  the  martyrs,  and  as  a  woman  seated  upon  a 
scarlet  beast,  full  of  the  name  of  blasphemies,  having 
seven  heads  and  ten  horns ;  the  same  as  heretofore  men- 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  55 

tioned.  And  the  woman  was  arrayed  with  gold  and 
precious  stones  and  pearls,  insomuch  as  to  excite  the 
astonishment  of  John,  which  the  angel  sought  to  allay 
with  the  question,  ''Wherefore  didst  thou  marvel?"  I 
will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of  the  woman  and  of  the  beast 
that  carrieth  her."  The  following  is  the  description  and 
interpretation  as  given  by  the  angel. 

Description. 

"The  beast  thou  sawest  was,  and  is  not,  and  shall  as- 
cend out  of  the  bottomless  pit." 

"The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains,  on  which  the 
woman  sitteth ;  and  there  are  seven  kings ;  five  are  fallen, 
one  is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet,  and  when  he  cometh  he 
must  continue  a  short  space.  And  the  beast  that  was, 
and  is  not,  even  he  is  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven,  and 
goeth  into  perdition." 

"The  waters  which  thou  sawest,  where  the  whore  sit- 
teth, are  peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and 
tongues." 

"And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  upon  the  beast, 
these  shall  hate  the  whore,  and  shall  make  her  desolate, 
and  naked,  and  shall  eat  her  flesh,  and  burn  her  with 
fire." 

"And  the  woman  which  thou  sawest  is  that  great  city 
which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth." 

The  above  description  and  interpretation,  easily  and 
unmistakably  find  their  fulfillment  in  the  Romish  church, 
and  nowhere  else. 

The  Man  of  Sin. 
That   the   Papacy   is   this   apostate   church,   elsewhere 


56  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

styled  the  "Antichrist,"  and  "Man  of  Sin,"  th»  culmina- 
tion and  embodiment  of  the  Dragon,  and  first  and  second 
beasts,  and  as  such,  the  image  and  representative  of  the 
whole,   will   appear   from   the   following   considerations: 

i,  From  the  very  name,  "Catholic,"  which  means  uni- 
versal, at  one  time  the  only  church,  and  therefore  the 
only  church  to  become  universally  apostate. 

2,  It  agrees  with  the  time  and  place  set  for  its  appear- 
ance. It  was  to  come  out  of  one  of  the  ten  kingdoms  of 
the  fourth  monarchy.  Daniel  speaks  of  it  as  "the  little 
horn,"  with  eyes,  coming  up  in  the  midst  of,  and  during 
the  existence  of  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  the  fourth 
kingdom  was  to  be  divided.  If  so,  then  the  time  and 
place  for  its  appearance  have  both  passed. 

So  the  order  and  succession  are  given.  First  the  Chal- 
dean, then  the  Medopersian,  then  the  Macedonian,  then 
the  Roman,  acknowledged  by  all,  even  the  Papists,  as 
the  red  dragon  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns  with 
seven  crowns  upon  its  seven  heads ;  then  the  first  beast, 
with  its  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  ten  crowns  upon 
its  ten  horns;  then  the  beast  with  two  horns,  like  a  lamb 
but  speaking  as  a  dragon ;  then  lastly,  the  image  and  rep- 
resentative of  the  whole.  In  each  remove  the  succeeding 
form  not  only  takes  the  place,  but  also  inherits  the  seat 
and  power  of  its  predecessor.  The  Dragon  gave  his  seat 
and  power  to  the  beast  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns 
(Chap.  xiii.  2),  and  the  woman  in  scarlet  was  afterwards 
seen  seated  upon,  and  riding  the  same.  Rome  Papal  is 
but  the  continuation  of  Rome  Pagan.  The  modern  city 
is  built  on  the  ruins,  with  much  of  the  same  material,  and 
garnished  and  adorned  with  many  of  the  works  of  art 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  57 

of  the  ancient;  the  image  of  St.  Peter  itself  being  the 
old  image  of  Jupiter,  with  the  two  keys  substituted  for 
the  thunderbolts  of  the  former.11 

As  the  time  and  place  for  its  appearance,  and  the 
order  of  the  succession,  are  given,  and  with  such  definite- 
ness,  if  this  be  not  the  Antichrist,  then  there  can  be  none 
in  the  future,  unless  this  same  order  and  succession  re- 
turn, and  the  Dragon, — that  is  Pagan  Rome, — be  again 
brought  to  life ;  a  thing  too  unreasonable  to  be  entertained 
for  a  moment. 

3,  It  has  all  the  characteristics  ascribed  to  the  Anti- 
christ. 

(a),  It  was  to  be  in  the  church.  "Sitting  in  the  femple 
of  God,"  and  therefore  an  apostate  church. 

(b),  It  was  to  be  a  great  power  ruling  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  "And  power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds, 
and  tongues,  and  nations."  Was  there  ever  a  greater 
nation  than  Rome,  at  one  time  the  acknowledged  master 
of  the  world  ?  Will  there  ever  be  a  stronger  religious  or- 
ganization than  die  Romish  hierarchy,  with  its  different 
orders  and  equipments,  with  its  cathedrals,  treasures  of 
art,  its  schools,  nunneries,  monasteries,  covering  the  whole 
earth ;  and  with  such  power  over  kings  and  princes,  hav- 
ing actually  dethroned  fifty  of  them  at  different  times  !12 

(c),  It  was  to  be  a  persecuting  power,  making  war 
upon  the  saints,  shedding  the  blood  of  the  same,  and  so 
abundantly  as  to  be  "drunk  with  blood."  To  say  nothing 
about  the  ten  awful  persecutions  under  Rome  Pagan,  in 
which  it  is  estimated  that  fifty  millions  of  martyrs  were 
slain,  the  victims  of  Rome  Papal  have  simply  been  aston- 
ishing.   Witness  the  horrors  of  the  Inquisition,  the  inno- 

"Horae,  Apoc.  III.,  151. 

I2For  names  and  dates  see  Trial  of  Antichrist,  r».  240. 


58  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

cent  slaughterings  of  St.  Bartholomew,  the  bloody  cruel- 
ties of  the  Duke  of  Alva,  and  the  bitter  persecutions  of 
the  Waldenses,  which  moved  the  pen  of  Milton  to  write : 

"Avenge,  O  Lord,  thy  slaughtered  saints,  whose  bones 
Lie  scattered  on  the  Alpine  mountains  cold; 
E'en  them,  who  kept  thy  truth  so  pure  of  old, 
When  all  our  fathers  worshipped  stocks  and  stones, 
Forget  not;  in  thy  book  record  their  groans, 
Who  were  thy  sheep,  and  in  their  ancient  fold 
Slain  by  the  bloody  Piedmontese,  that  rolled 
Mother  with  infant  down  the  rocks.    Their  moans 
The  vales  redoubled  to  the  hills,  and  they 
To  heaven.     Their  martyred  blood  and  ashes  sow 
O'er  the  Italian  fields,  where  still  doth  sway 
The  triple  tyrant;  that  from  these  may  grow 
An  hundredfold,  who,  having  learnt  thy  way, 
Early  may  fly  the  Babylonian  woe." 

"It  is  estimated  that  in  the  war  with  Albigenses  and 
Waldenses,  there  perished  of  these  poor  creatures,  in 
France  alone,  a  million.  From  the  first  institution  of  the 
Jesuits  to  the  year  1480,  that  is,  in  a  little  more  than 
thirty  years,  900,000  orthodox  Christians  were  slain.  In 
the  Netherlands  alone,  the  Duke  of  Alva  boasted  that 
within  a  few  years  he  had  despatched  to  the  number  of 
36,000  souls,  and  those  all  by  the  hand  of  the  common 
executioner.  In  the  space  of  thirty  years  the  Inquisition 
destroyed,  by  various  kinds  of  tortures,  150,000  Chris- 
tians." 13 

It  is  true  that  these  were  not  all  put  to  death  by  the 
Papacy,  any  more  than  Christ  was  crucified  by  the  Jews ; 
but  by  instigators  alike.  "Quid  facit  per  alium,  facit  per 
se"     Whatever  he  does  by  another  he  does  himself.     It 

"Newton,  Vol.  II.,  p.  291. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  59 

was  the  first  beast  that  was  to  make  war  on  the  saints, 
and  to  overcome  them.  (Ch.  xiii.  7;  Dan.  vii.  26.)  But 
the  first  beast  was  agent  of  the  second,  and  the  second 
approved  and  endorsed  all  the  deeds  of  the  first  and  be- 
came its  accomplice.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  a  sinner  by 
endorsement,  as  well  as  actual  transgression ;  so  all  the 
bloodshed  of  the  first  was  added  to  that  of  its  own. 

(d),  It  was  to  be  a  blasphemous  power.  "Blasphemies 
upon  her  heads."  "Sitting  in  the  temple  of  God  and 
thinking  that  he  is  God."  "Speaking  great  words  against 
the  Most  High."  Thinking  to  change  "times  and  laws." 
"With  all  power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders."  "Giving 
heed  to  seducing  spirits  and  doctrines  of  devils."  All  of 
which  are  found  in  the  Church  of  Rome. 

We  give  the  following  quotations  in  proof  of  this  high 
assumption :  "Tu  enim  pastor,  tit  medicus,  tu  gubernator, 
Ui  denique  alter  deus  in  terris." . .  Thou  art  a  shepherd, 
thou  art  a  physician,  thou  art  a  ruler ;  in  one  word,  thou 
art  another  God.1*  "Considera  te  esse  vicarium  Christi, 
Christum  Domini!'  Consider  thyself  to  be  the  vicar  of 
Christ,  the  Christ  of  God.  "Honorem  qui  debetur  Christ  ot 
secundum  quod  Deus  est,  deberi,  papac ;  quia  honor 
debetur  potestati,  sed  uno  est  potestas  Christi,  secundum 
quod  deus  est,  et  papae."  The  honor  which  is  due  to  Christ, 
because  he  is  God,  belongs  likewise  to  the  Pope ;  for  honor 
is  due  to  authority ;  but  the  same  authority  belonging  to 
Christ,  because  he  is  God,  belongs  likewise  to  the  pope. 
"Deus,  quia  Dei  vicarius."  God,  because  the  vicar  of 
God.15    What  blasphemies ! 

14Hor.  Apoc,  II.,  80.       15III.,  152,  153. 
See  also  additional  quotations  of  a  similar  character  given  by 
Turretine,   Opus  IV.,   162,   1G3. 


60  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

To  say,  then,  that  we  are  to  have  another  antichrist  in 
the  future,  with  the  same  characteristics,  is  simply  that 
we  are  to  have  two  antichrists  identically  the  same;  a 
thing  as  unscriptural  as  it  is  unreasonable. 

4,  Notice  other  peculiarities  mentioned  with  great 
minuteness  by  the  angel,  and  which  find  their  fulfillment 
nowhere  else.  "The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains," 
or  hills,  Rome  being  built  on  seven  hills ;  hence  the  sobri- 
quet, "Urbs  Septicollis"  city  of  seven  hills.  Their  names 
are  familiar,  viz.,  Palatinus,  Capitolinus,  Esquilinus, 
Caelius,Aventinus,  Quirinalis,  Viminalis.  The  seven  heads, 
or  seven  kings,  are  seven  forms  of  government,  already 
mentioned,  viz.,  Kings, Consuls,  Dictators,  Decemvirs,  Mil- 
itary Tribunes,  Emperors,  Dukedom.  Five  were  fallen, 
viz.,  Kings,  Consuls,  Dictators,  Decemvirs,  Military  Tri- 
bunes. These  were  already  past  in  John's  day ;  "one  now 
is,"  at  that  time,  the  Emperor ;  one  yet  to  come,  and  con- 
tinue a  little  while,  viz.,  Dukedom.  "And  the  beast  that 
was  and  is  not,  even  he  is  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  sev- 
enth, and  goeth  to  perdition."  The  beast  was  first  in  the 
form  of  Rome  Pagan  "and  is  not";  that  is,  not  then  ex- 
isting in  that  form.  "And  yet  is,"  at  that  time  as  Rome 
Christian ;  "And  is  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seventh." 
The  Papacy  was  but  the  continuation  of  the  seven  differ- 
ent forms  already  mentioned,  and  to  be  the  eighth  and 
last ;  there  being  no  ninth  or  tenth  to  come  after  it ;  and 
to  go  to  perdition  or  destruction.  "And  the  ten  horns 
which  thou  sawest  are  ten  kings" ;  the  ten  kingdoms  al- 
ready mentioned,  "which  have  received  no  kingdom  as 
yet" ;  that  is  in  John's  day ;  but  were  "to  receive  power  as 
kings  one  hour  with  the  beast,"  and  continue  for  a  little 
while,  as  only  an  hour  compared  with  the  life  of  the  beast, 
which  was  to  be  1,260  years. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  61 

5,  The  number  of  the  name  furnishes  additional  proof. 
"Lateinos"  the  name  of  the  last  kingdom,  as  we  have 
seen,  aggregating,  in  the  numerical  value  of  its  letters,  the 
prophetic  number  666. 

6,  The  same  also  appears  from  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecies  concerning  the  judgments  to  be  sent  upon  it. 
First,  those  set  forth  in  the  first  four  trumpets,  and  sec- 
ondly, in  those  in  the  sixth  vial  poured  out  upon  the  seat 
of  the  beast.  These  have  been  and  are  now  being  poured 
out. 

7,  Also  in  the  fulfillment  thus  far  of  the  saying,  that 
these  kings  zvould  at  last  turn  against  her  and  eat  up  her 
flesh,  as  was  the  case  in  the  British  Isles,  when  she  re- 
nounced Papal  authority ;  and  later  in  France,  in  the  revo- 
lution, when  thousands  of  priests  were  put  to  death ;  and 
later  still,  even  in  Italy,  herself,  the  Pope  being  a  prisoner 
to-day  in  the  Vatican,  upon  his  own  confession,  and  in 
her  very  bosom. 

8,  The  condition  of  the  zvorld  precludes  all  possibility 
of  another  man  of  sin,  another  apostate  church,  of  the 
same  characteristics,  ever  again  arising  with  power  to 
bring  the  whole  world  under  its  corrupting  influence  and 
crucifying  power,  requiring,  as  it  would,  centuries  for 
its  growth  and  development.  Before  this  could  be,  the 
whole  world  of  necessity  must  again  be  brought  under  the 
arbitrary  sway  of  another,  if  not  the  same  Caesar,  which 
neither  Scripture  nor  reason  will  for  a  single  moment 
allow.  Nothing  less  than  a  miracle  will  ever  again  place 
the  ruling  power  of  the  world  in  the  hand  of  any  single 
man  or  nation.  Up  to  the  time  of  the  Papacy  the  world 
was  ruled  by  Caesar;  but  from  then  till  now  a  struggle 
has  been  going  on,  which  will  result  in  the  reversal  of  the 
order,  and  in  the  subdugation  of  Caesar  to  the  church.    In 


62  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

the  end  the  church  is  to  be  the  dominant  power  in  the 
world,  controlling  her  kingdoms  and  governments ;  not, 
however,  by  the  mistaken  scheme  of  union  of  church  and 
state,  but  by  the  dissemination  of  her  pure  and  holy  prin- 
ciples, which,  like  leaven,  are  yet  to  leaven  the  whole  earth. 

9,  The  testimony  of  the  interpreting  angel.  To  make 
the  matter  so  plain  as  to  leave  no  room  for  doubt  or  mis- 
apprehension, the  angel  adds,  "The  woman  thou  sawest 
is  that  great  city  which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the 
earth."  Nothing  could  make  the  description  more  com- 
plete. Rome  was  the  only  city  that  then,  or  since,  has 
dominated  the  world. 

10,  The  whole  is  confirmed  by  the  consensus  of  opinion. 
The  early  fathers  generally  identified  the  little  horn  of 
Daniel  with  Paul's  man  of  sin ;  and  this  sentiment  has 
been  growing  ever  since,  and  is  now  commonly  held  by 
the  Protestant  world. 

ii,  The  commingling  of  so  many  minute  and  unusual 
particulars,  and  the  merging  of  the  whole  into  such  a 
strange  compound,  which  finds  its  parallel  in  nothing 
else,  and  running  through  so  many  centuries,  forever 
fixes  the  interpretation,  and  as  unmistakably  points  to 
the  true  Antichrist,  as  the  footprints  in  the  sand  determine 
the  owner  and  wearer  of  the  shoe. 

In  opposition  to  all  this  we  are  told : 

ist,  That  Antichrist  means  against  Christ,  the  prepo- 
sition anti  meaning  against,  and  one  that  denies  Christ; 
whereas  the  Papacy  neither  denies  Christ  nor  is  against 
him. 

2nd,  That  the  historic  facts  do  not  agree  with  the  pro- 
phetic dates,  neither  as  to  the  time  of  taking  away  the 
daily  sacrifice,  nor  the  length  of  the  profanation. 

3rd,  That  what  is  said  concerning  the  shedding  of  the 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  63 

blood  of  the  saints,  as  well  as  the  time  of  the  existence 
of  the  beast,  refers  to  the  first  beast  or  antichristian  Rome, 
and  not  the  Papacy. 

As  to  this  last  point,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  pre- 
ceding paragraph  on  the  second  beast. 

As  to  the  alleged  disagreement  between  the  facts  and 
the  dates,  I  must  refer  him  to  what  I  have  to  say  upon 
this  point  further  on. 

Concerning  the  name,  Antichrist,  I  have  now  to  say 
that  the  word  does  not  necessarily  mean  against  Christ. 
The  preposition  anti  has  two  meanings,  either  against, 
or  for,  that  is,  in  the  place  of  another.  (See  Schleusner's 
Lex.)  In  this  sense  it  is  frequently  used  in  composition 
of  proper  names,  as  Elliott  has  shown  (Vol.  I.,  67).  Ac- 
cording to  that  meaning,  Antichrist  would  be  one  who 
claims  to  be  the  agent  or  representative  of  Christ,  or,  so 
to  speak,  a  Vice-Christ.  As  the  world  occurs  nowhere 
else  except  in  the  New  Testament,  and  only  in  John's 
epistles,  and  there  only  four  times,  why  may  not  that  be 
the  meaning  here? 

But  admit  the  meaning  to  be  in  the  sense  of  against, 
as  generally  understood,  still  the  objection  has  no  force ; 
for  may  not  a  man  really  be  against,  though  seemingly 
in  favor,  of  a  person  or  thing?  Witness  the  strange  and 
apparently  contradictory  statement  of  the  apostle  Paul, 
"Some  preach  the  gospel,  even  of  envy/'  (Phil.  i.  15.) 
Witness  Peter's  unquestioned  zeal  in  defending  his 
master,  with  the  accompanying  rebuke,  "Get  thee  behind 
me,  Satan,  for  thou  savorest  not  the  things  that  be  of 
God."  (Matt.  xvi.  23.)  Witness  a  similar  mistaken  zeal 
on  the  part  of  James  and  John,  in  asking  for  fire  to 
come  down  from  heaven  to  consume  the  Samaritans, 
and  the  sharp  rebuke  that  followed :  "Ye  know  not  what 


64  HAXD-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

manner  of  spirit  ye  are  of."  (Luke  ix.  54.)  Witness  the 
untiring  and  even  greater  zeal  still  of  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  of  old,  compassing  sea  and  land  to  make  one 
proselyte,  coupled  with  the  unsparing  denunciation  of  the 
Master,  which  seemingly  only  increases  in  intensity  with 
the  increase  of  zeal :  "Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers, 
how  shall  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell"?  (Matt, 
xxiii.  33.) 

There  is  such  a  thing  as  "having  zeal,  but  not  accord- 
ing to  knowledge";  such  a  thing  as  saying  and  doing 
great  things  with  flourish  of  trumpets,  and  yet  to  no  pur- 
pose ;  such  a  thing  as  speaking  with  the  tongue  of  angels 
and  of  men ;  having  faith  to  remove  mountains ;  giving 
all  one's  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  even  the  body  to  be 
burned,  and  yet,  in  the  end  all  "sounding  brass  and 
tinkling  cymbal."  (1  Cor.  xiii.  1-3.)  There  is  such  a 
thing  as  prophesying  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  casting 
out  devils  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  doing  many  and 
wonderful  works  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  yet  being 
driven  away  at  last,  as  "workers  oT  iniquity,"  and  that 
too  with  the  still  more  striking  announcement,  "I  never 
knew  you."  (Matt.  vii.  22,  23.)  Yea,  more, — and  the 
Master's  word  for  it, — there  is  even  such  a  thing  as  being 
"False  Christs,"  and  with  power  to  show  signs,  work 
wonders,  and  to  deceive  many.     (Matt.  xxiv.  24.   ) 

It  is  very  easy,  then,  to  see  how  a  church  may  far  out- 
strip all  others  in  her  charities  and  self-sacrificing  labors, 
and  after  all  be  an  apostate  church ;  the  very  mention  of 
its  possibility  being  a  prophecy  of  its  existence;  and  if 
apostate,  what  else  but  antichrist? 

Another  rule  is  applicable  here.  The  Saviour  lays  it 
down  as  a  basic  principle  of  his  kingdom,  that  he  and  his 
disciples  are  one.     Whatever  is  done  to  thorn  is  done  to 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  65 

him.  Give  but  the  cup  of  cold  water  to  a  disciple,  and  it 
is  given  him.  So  to  persecute  his  people  is  to  persecute 
him.  "Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?"  To  be 
against  the  disciple  is  to  be  against  him.  How,  then,  can 
a  persecuting  church,  "drunk  with  the  blood  of  saints," 
be  anything  more  or  less  than  Antichrist? 

Then,  there  is  still  another  sense  in  which  a  man  can 
be  against  Christ  without  openly  fighting  him,  and  that  is 
by  sitting  in  his  seat,  and  claiming  his  honors  and  pre- 
rogatives.    This  is  to  be  against  him,  as  well  as  to  deny 
and   reject   him.      This   is    what   Popery   has    done.      It 
makes  the   Pope   the   Vicar  and  Vicegerent  of   Christ. 
For  it  is  only  upon  this  ground  he  bases  his  claim  to  in- 
fallibility.    It  is  as  the  Vicar  of  Christ,   sitting  in  his 
seat,  he  claims  homage,  requiring  kings  to  bow  in  humble 
supplication  and  kiss  his  feet,  being  addressed  as  "His 
Holiness,"   "My  Lord   God   the   Pope,"   and   even   wor- 
shipped as  another  God,  as  in  days  past,  and  as  previously 
shown.     As  Vicar  he   claims  the  power  of  dethroning 
kings,  as  he  has  done  in  scores  of  instances ;  of  granting 
indulgences,  as  well  as  absolution  of  sins;  the  power  of 
carrying  the  keys,  and  of  opening  and  shutting  the  gates 
of  Paradise;  the  power  of  making  and  enforcing  laws 
and  decrees.     For  how  can  the  representative  of  God  be 
subject  either  to  man  or  his  laws?    He  who  is  the  Vicar 
of  Christ  must  absolutely  be  above  law.     Paul  describes 
his  case  exactly  when  he  speaks  of  him  as  the  "lawless 
one"  (o  avo/xo?  )  :  the  one  not  under,  nor  subject  to  law. 
(2  Thess.  ii.  8.)    And  what  is  all  this  but  robbing  Christ 
of  his  rights  and  crown?    And  what  is  a  usurper  but  an 
Antichrist  ? 

This  usurpation  may  also  extend  to  erroneous  teach- 
ings, as  well  as  assumption  of  power.     To  preach  any- 


66  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

thing  but  what  Christ  has  taught  is  to  be  against  him; 
for  it  is  tearing  down  his  authority  and  kingdom  by  set- 
ting up  another,  different  and  opposite.  This  is  what  the 
Papists  have  done;  placing  for  the  doctrines  of  Christ 
the  comandments  of  men;  such  as  baptismal  regenera- 
tion, worshipping  saints  and  images,  praying  to  and  for 
the  dead,  purgatory,  Mariolatry,  auricular  confession, 
penance,  canonization  of  saints,  mass  for  the  dead,  im- 
maculate conception,  forbidding  to  marry,  and  denying 
the  cup  to  the  laity. 

Schleusner,  therefore,  correctly  defines  the  word  when 
he  says,  "The  word  antichrist,  in  John,  and  to  this  the 
old  Fathers  agree,  stands  for  the  whole  crowd  of  false 
teachers  and  false  apostles."  (Lex.  in  loc.)  The  open 
enemy,  who  denies  that  Jesus  has  come  in  the  flesh,  is  in- 
deed an  antichrist,  but  not  the  only  one,  of  whom,  as 
John  says,  there  are  many.  Equally  so  is  every  false 
teacher,  and  every  usurper,  claiming  either  to  be  Christ 
or  to  be  in  the  place  of  Christ. 

Lamentation  Over  the  Fall. 

After  the  description  of  the  great  city,  we  have  pre- 
sented to  us  the  great  lamentation  over  its  fall ;  symbol- 
ically set  forth  by  the  angel  casting  the  millstone  into 
the  sea,  and  formally  declaring  its  perpetual  destruction. 

Then  follows  the  rejoicing  in  heaven,  and  rendering 
thanks  to  God,  over  the  destruction  of  the  great  enemy  of 
God  and  man,  as  already  accomplished ;  for  in  prophecy 
distant  things  are  spoken  of  as  present ;  together  with  an 
anticipatory  allusion  to  the  future  marriage  of  the  Lamb 
to  his  heavenly  bride.  As  no  account  of  the  marriage  is 
given,  the  nuptials  to  take  place  after  the  new  heaven  and 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  67 

new  earth  have  been  set  up,  of  which  mention  is  made  in 
the  next  chapter. 

Destruction  of  Remaining  Enemies. 

After  this  we  have  a  sublime  description  of  the  Faith- 
ful and  True,  riding  upon  a  white  horse,  having  many 
crowns  upon  his  head,  with  his  vesture  dipped  in  blood, 
and  his  eyes  a  flame  of  fire,  with  a  sharp  sword  out  of  his 
mouth,  with  the  armies  in  heaven  following  upon  white 
horses,  and  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean,  going 
forth  conquering  and  to  conquer,  extending  his  kingdom 
with  the  destruction  of  his  enemies,  and  with  this  superbly 
royal  title  emblazoned  upon  his  thigh,  "King  of  kings, 
and  Lord  of  lords/' 

In  connection  with  this  slaughter,  an  angel  is  seen 
standing  in  the  sun,  and  calling  to  all  the  fowls  of  the  air 
to  come  and  eat  the  flesh  of  kings  and  captains  and  mighty 
men. 

John  saw,  that  in  this  great  struggle,  the  beast  and 
kings  of  the  earth,  gathered  together  to  make  war  upon 
him  that  sat  on  the  horse  and  against  his  army ;  but  that 
the  beast  was  taken,  and  with  him  the  false  prophet  that 
wrought  miracles  before  him,  with  which  he  deceived 
them  that  had  received  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  that 
worshipped  his  image.  These  both  were  cast  alive  into 
a  lake  of  fire,  burning  with  brimstone.  The  remnant  were 
also  slain,  and  all  the  fowls  were  satisfied  with  their 
flesh.  All  indicative  of  the  final  and  universal  spread  and 
triumph  of  the  gospel,  as  well  as  the  destruction  of  all 
the  enemies  of  the  Lord. 


68  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

Binding  of  Satan. 

After  the  destruction  of  the  beast  and  false  prophet, 
and  all  the  other  enemies  of  the  Lord,  Satan  himself 
was  bound  with  a  chain  and  cast  into  the  bottomless  pit, 
not,  as  Professor  Milligan  strangely  interprets,16  that 
Satan  is  always  bound  to  the  Christian,  and  always  loose 
to  the  sinner,  but  that  his  power  was  put  under  actual 
restraint,  and  that  for  a  thousand  years,  which  consti- 
tutes what  is  known  as  the  Millennium. 

The  Millennium. 

We  understand  the  Millennium  literally  as  a  thousand 
years  of  rest  and  peace,  and  not  simply/  a  symbolic  por- 
traiture of  the  intermediate  state,  as  Professor  Warfield 
would  have  us  believe.17  That  there  will  be  such  a  period 
of  rest  and  peace  we  doubt  not,  as  this  will  be  but  the 
natural  sequence  from  the  binding  and  imprisonment  of 
Satan.  Besides,  we  have  the  positive  statement,  as  well 
as  the  general  analogy  of  scripture  to  guide  us.  "The 
kingdom  will  be  given  to  the  saints  of  the  Most  High." 
(Dan.  vii.  2J.)  "The  heathen  shall  be  given  for  an  in- 
heritance, and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  a  pos- 
session." (Ps.  ii.  8.)  "The  earth  is  to  be  full  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea." 
(Isa.  xi.  9.)  So  from  analogy,  as  the  seventh  day  is  the 
sabbath  of  rest,  the  seventh  seventh  is  the  sabbatic  year, 
and  the  seventh  sabbatic  the  year  of  Jubilee,  we  would 
naturally  expect  the  seventh  thousand  of  the  world  to  be' 
a   millennium   of  rest.     There   is   an   old   tradition,   two 

"Exp.  Lee,  VI. 
^Princeton  Review. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  69 

hundred  years  before  Christ,  that  the  world  is  to  continue 
6,000  years ;  2,000  years  before  the  law ;  2,000  under  the 
law;  and  2,000  under  the  Messiah.  And  ever  since  the 
days  of  Irenaeus,  the  idea  has  currently  obtained  in  the 
Christian  church,  that  the  seventh  thousand  would  be  the 
sabbatic  thousand. 

Concerning  this  Millennium,  we  are  not  to  understand 
that  everybody  will  be  converted.  The  wheat  and  tares 
will  always  continue  to  grow  together  to  the  end  of  time. 
"Many  shall  be  purified,  but  the  wicked  will  do  wick- 
edly," says  Daniel  xii.  10.  But  simply  that  all  organized 
opposition  to  the  gospel  will  be  done  away  with ;  the  prin- 
ciples of  Christianity  will  prevail ;  the  authority  of  the 
scriptures  be  recognized.  Instead  of  war,  political  ques- 
tions will  be  settled  by  arbitration.  When  the  conscience 
of  the  world  is  aroused  as  it  should,  and  yet  will  be,  the 
nations  of  the  earth  will  feel  that  they  are  the  "nation's 
keeper,"  as  every  man  his  "brother's  keeper,"  and  will  no 
more  allow  internecine  wars,  between  nations,  than  in- 
dividual broils  are  now  permitted  on  the  streets  by  the 
bystanders. 

Whether  Christ  is  to  come  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Millennium,  and  reign  in  person  on  earth  during  this 
period,  with  his  saints,  who  are  to  be  raised  from  the 
dead;  or  whether  he  will  not  come  till  the  end  of  the 
world  as  judge,  is  a  question  which  has  long  divided  the 
world,  Premillennialists  holding  the  former  view,  Post- 
millennialists  the  latter.  As  I  will,  further  on,  and 
somewhat  at  length,  discuss  this  question,  I  will  now 
only  say  this  much:  that  I  cannot  believe  that  the  lan- 
guage is  to  be  understood  literally,  and  that  either  the 
martyrs,  or  any  part  of  the  dead,  are  to  be  raised  up  at 
the  beginning,  or  rest  of  the  dead  at  the  termination,  of 


jo  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

the  thousand  years ;  but  figuratively,  viz.,  that  during  the 
Millennium  the  martyr  spirit  will  return,  and  be  hon- 
ored, and  represented  as  being  put  upon  thrones ;  and 
that  after  that  the  old  spirit  of  ungodliness  and  persecu- 
tion will  return,  when  Satan  will  be  said  to  be  again 
turned  loose. 

Satan  Loosed. 

After  the  thousand  years  Satan  is  to  be  loosed  for  a 
season,  and  go  forth  to  deceive  the  nations.  The  world 
is  again  to  become  wicked  and  degenerate.  If  the  binding 
of  Satan  is  to  produce  the  Millennium,  his  release  will 
again  restore  the  world  to  its  former  wicked  state.  Hence 
the  inquiry  of  the  Master,  "When  the  Son  of  man  shall 
come,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the  earth?"  Also  his  em- 
phatic declaration,  "As  in  the  days  that  were  before  the 
flood,  they  were  eating  and  drinking,  marrying  and  giv- 
ing in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noah  entered  the 
ark,  ...  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be." 

Battle  of  Gog  and  Magog. 

Some  time  after  the  Millennium, — how  long  we  know 
not, — will  be  the  final  struggle,  when  Satan  shall  seek  to 
regain  his  lost  supremacy,  by  stirring  up  the  world  and 
his  associates  everywhere,  to  make  war  against  the  saints, 
for  so  largely  invading  his  domains  during  his  imprison- 
ment. But  God  shall  send  fire  from  heaven  and  consume 
all  the  aiders  and  abettors  of  the  unholy  crusade,  and  the 
devil  that  deceived  them  shall  be  cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire  and  brimstone,  where  the  beast  and  false  prophet  are, 
to  be  tormented  forever. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  yi 

Resurrection  and  Judgment. 

After  this, — but  when,  no  man  knoweth,  not  even  the 
Son,  but  only  the  Father, — will  be  the  Resurrection  and 
Judgment. 

"And  I  saw  a  great  White  throne,  and  him  that  sat  on 
it,  from  whose  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away. 
There  was  found  no  place  for  them.  And  I  saw  the  dead, 
both  small  and  great,  stand  before  God.  And  the  books 
were  opened — (no  new  matter  to  be  introduced) — and 
another  book  was  opened,  which  was  the  book  of  life; 
and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things  which  were 
written  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works.'' 

After  all  this  the  new  heaven  and  new  earth  will  ap- 
pear. "And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  for  the 
first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  were  passed  away;  and 
there  was  no  more  sea."  This  was  the  new  heaven  and 
new  earth  in  which  righteousness  was  to  dwell,  of  which 
Peter  speaks,  and  which  manifestly  did  not  appear  till 
after  the  Millennium. 

The  Heavenly  City. 

The  prophecy  most  fitly  and  beautifully  concludes  with 
a  dramatic  description  of  the  heavenly  city,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  new  heaven  and  new  earth,  with  its  pearly 
gates,  its  sapphired  walls,  its  dazzling  splendor,  its  burn- 
ing glory.  As  the  inspired  volume  begins  with  the  Para- 
dise lost,  it  is  proper  that  it  should  close  with  the  Para- 
dise regained,  and  end  with  the  invitation  to  all  shut  out 
of  the  first  to  enter  the  second.  After  a  solemn  warn- 
ing not  to  add  to,  or  take  from,  the  words  of  the  book  of 
this  prophecy,  the  whole  concludes  with  the  heavenly 
benediction,  "The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  with 
you  all. — Amen." 


CHAPTER  III. 

How  Much  Fulfilled. 

HAVING  thus  given  a  rapid  sketch  of  what  we  con- 
ceive to  be  the  meaning  of  these  prophecies,  we  pro- 
ceed to  inquire  how  much  of  them  has  been  fulfilled? 

From  the  interpretations  given,  the  answer  to  this  ques- 
tion must  be  that  we  are  rapidly  approaching  the  end. 
^  My  study  of  the  question  forces  me  to  the  conclusion  that 
^  we  are  under  the  seventh  trumpet,  and  in  the  after  part 
of  the  fifth  vial,  which  is  being  emptied  upon  the  seat  of 
the  beast;  and  as  the  vials  overlap  at  junctional  points, 
also  under  the  beginning  of  the  sixth,  which  is  being 
poured  out  upon  the  river  Euphrates,  to  dry  up  the  river ; 
said  river  being  the  Turkish  power,  for  reasons  already 
given.  When  these  are  finished,  there  will  remain  but 
one,  the  seventh,  to  be  poured  out  in  the  air,  universal. 
According  to  this  scheme,  the  thing  now  in  order  is 
the  final  drying  up  of  the  Turkish  power,  including  the 
Russian  Government,  the  regular  offspring  and  de- 
scendant of  the  third  great  beast  of  Daniel,  and  upon 
which  the  Greek  church,  the  offshoot  of  the  eastern  leg, 
or  empire,  is  so  snugly  seated  as  its  rider ;  these  being  the 
last  armed  foes  resisting  with  the  sword  the  spread  of 
the  gospel,  and  obstructing  the  way  of  the  kings  of  the 
East.  After  which  will  be  the  universal  outpouring  of 
God's  wrath  upon  all  those  who  wear  the  mark  of  the 
beast;  then  the  last  great  earthquake  or  upheaval,  which 
is  to  usher  in  the  Millennium. 

Before  the  Millennium  three  things  are  necessary : 
ist,  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  to  every  creature. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  73 

2nd,  Completed  accumulation  of  prayer. 

3rd,  The  universal  outpouring  of  the  Spirit. 

This  is  seed  sowing  time ;  the  running  to  and  fro,  and 
increasing    knowledge.      Never   such   a   close   union  of 
different  denominations ;  never  such  study  of  the  scrip- 
tures, and  dissemination  of  light ;  never  before  was  there 
such  activity  in  all  Christian  work,  especially  in  the  cause 
of  Foreign  Missions ;  never  such  enlarged  contributions 
to  all  the  schemes  of  benevolence.     So  the  accumulation 
of    prayer   has   been   going   on    for   ages.      Patriarchs, 
prophets  and  apostles,  and  the  saints  in  all  ages,  have  been 
earnestly  uniting  in  the  petition,  "Thy  kingdom  come." 
The  accumulation  of  prayer  on  high  has  already  become  a 
mighty  ocean  encompassing  the  throne  of  God,  his  plan 
being  not  to  hear  and  answer  each  petition  separately, 
but  all  at  once,  so  that  we  who  remain  shall  not  have 
any  advantage  over  those  gone  before,  and  all  may  have 
part  alike  in  the  "harvest  home."     Likewise,  abundant 
assurances  have  been  given  for  the  universal  outpouring 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  latter  days.     When,  then,  this 
seed  sowing  shall  be  fully  accomplished,  and  this  gospel 
preached   to   every   creature,   and   this   accumulation   of 
prayer  be  fully  completed,  it  will  then  only  remain  for 
God,  in  accordance  with  the  promise,  to  pour  out  his 
Spirit  in  pentecostal  effusion  and  power,  and  nations  will 
easily  be  converted  in  a  day. 

When  Shall  These  Things  Be? 

But  is  there  anything  to  guide  us  in  reaching  a  con- 
clusion as  to  zvhen  these  things  will  be?  We  think  there 
is,  and  certainly  enough  at  least  to  lead  to  an  approximate 
estimate. 


74  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

In  order  to  see  this,  we  have  only  to  place  side  by  side 
the  statements  of  Daniel  with  those  of  John. 

According  to  Daniel,  the  first  little  horn  (Papal)  was 
to  continue  "A  time,  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time," 
That  is,  three  and  a  half  years,  or  1,260  days.  (2),  The 
second  little  horn  (Mohammedan)  to  continue,  as  we 
interpret,  1,290  days.  (3),  From  the  time  the  daily  sacri- 
fice is  taken  away,  and  abomination  making  desolate  set 
up,  to  the  end,  1,290  days.  (4),  Blessed  period  to  him 
that  cometh  to  the  1335. 

According  to  John,  the  holy  city  was  to  be  given  to  the 
Gentiles,  to  be  trodden  down  forty-two  months,  or  1,260 
days.  (2),  Two  witnesses  in  sackcloth  to  testify  1,260 
days.  (3),  The  woman  to  remain  in  the  wilderness,  to 
be  nourished,  a  time  and  times  and  a  half,  r,26o  days. 

It  is  generally  agreed  that  the  different  forms  of  ex- 
pression, "time,  times  and  a  half,"  "forty-two  months," 
and  "1,260  days,"  are  all  the  same,  and  refer  to  the  same 
thing,  and  terminate  with  the  2,300  days,  the  only  trouble 
being  to  know  where  these  different  dates  begin,  and  to 
make  them  harmonize  with  the  facts  of  history,  as  well 
as  the  interpretation  of  the  Master  concerning  the  setting 
up  of  the  abomination  of  desolation  at  Jerusalem. 

Concerning  the  2,300  days,  the  writer  has  no  difficulty, 
as  he  understands  it  to  refer  to  the  time  of  the  cleansing 
of  the  sanctuary,  and  not  the  length  of  its  profanation ; 
not  that  the  sanctuary  was  to  be  defiled  2,300  days,  but 
the  vision  was  to  extend  thus  far.  How  long  shall  be  the 
vision  concerning  the  daily  sacrifice  and  the  transgression 
of  desolation,  to  give  both  the  sanctuary  and  the  host  to 
be  trodden  under  foot?  ^And  he  said  unto  me  unto  two 
thousand  and  three  hundred  days,  then  shall  the  sanctuary 
be  cleansed."     As  the  vision  includes  all  that  was  said 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  75 

concerning  the  ram  and  tie-goat,  as  well  as  the  little  horn, 
and  the  transgression  of  desolation,  this  answer  simply 
asserts  that  it  would  take  that  many  days  to  cover  the 
whole,  without  telling  when  that  period  was  to  begin. 
It  becomes,  therefore,  a  matter  of  importance  to  deter- 
mine the  beginning  of  the  2,300  days.  It  might  be  either 
the  time  of  the  vision,  or  the  time  of  the  notable  little 
horn,  or  the  time  of  the  cessation  of  the  daily  sacrifice 
and  the  setting  up  of  the  abomination. 

It  cannot  be  the  time  of  the  vision,  for  that  was  about 
583  years  B.  C.  and  the  2,300,  whether  days  or  years, 
have  long  since  passed,  and  the  sanctuary  not  yet 
cleansed. 

Neither  can  it  be  the  time  of  the  removal  of  the  daily 
sacrifice  and  the  setting  up  of  the  abomination  as  gen- 
erally understood ;  for  the  angel  expressly  tells  Daniel, 
that  from  the  time  the  daily  sacrifice  would  be  taken 
away,  and  the  abomination  set  up,  to  the  cleansing  of  the 
temple,  would  be  1,290  days.  The  daily  sacrifice  was 
taken  away  by  the  Romans  in  A.  D.  70.  Add  1,290  and 
we  will  have  1,360,  and  whether  days  or  years,  the  time 
is  past,  and  the  sanctuary  still  remains  polluted. 

We  are  therefore  forced  to  the  conclusion,  that  the 
2,300  days  must  begin  with  the  Medopersian  ram,  and 
with  his  "standing"  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  not 
his  first  beginning.  For  the  goat  found  him  thus  stand- 
ing. Alexander's  first  victory  was  434  B.  C.  Add  2,300, 
and  it  brings  us  to  1866,  which  harmonizes  with  the  other 
dates,  viz.,  "The  time,  times  and  half  time,"  the  forty-two 
months  and  1,260  days,  and  make  them  all  terminate 
about  the  same  time. 


76  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

Abomination  of  Desolation. 

Three  questions  spring  up  here,  ist,  When  was  the 
daily  sacrifice  taken  away?  2nd,  The  abomination  of 
desolation,  what  was  it,  and  when  set  up?  3rd,  What 
have  Mohammedans  to  do  with  it? 

To  the  first  question  I  reply,  that,  in  the  first  and  typical 
sense,  the  sacrifice  was  clearly  taken  away  when  the 
Romans  under  Titus  took  the  city.  The  interpretation 
of  the  Master  settles  that. 

To  the  second  I  answer,  that  the  Abomination  so  fre- 
quently alluded  to  was  not  simply  the  destruction  of  Je- 
rusalem, but  something  to  be  set  up  in  after  years. 

The  part  the  Mohammedans  will  take  in  setting  it  up 
will  appear  further  on. 

To  a  clear  understanding  of  the  matter,  we  must  ever 
bear  in  mind  that  there  is  here,  as  in  other  prophecies, 
a  double  meaning,  one  outward,  and  one  inward,  one  the 
shadow,  and  the  other  the  substance.  The  student  can- 
not fail  to  see  this  in  the  language  of  the  Saviour,  already 
alluded  to  in  that  mysterious  blending  of  these  two,  where 
he  speaks  of  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  coming  judg- 
ment in  almost  one  and  the  same  breath.  Indeed  it  is 
utterly  impossible  to  understand  his  meaning  upon  any 
other  supposition. 

Daniel  just  as  clearly  alludes  to  two  different  things, 
one  near,  the  other  remote,  when  he  speaks  of  the  "ships 
of  Chittim"  (Ch.  ix.  30),  generally  understood  of  the 
Romans,  who  were  so  soon  to  come,  and  yet  at  the  same 
time  declares  that  the  vision  was  "For  many  days/'  and 
"To  the  end,"  and  not  to  be  accomplished  till  the  comple- 
tion of  "the  scattering  of  the  holy  people."  He  may  have 
been  speaking  directly  in  Chapter  viii.  of  the  profanation 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  yy 

by  Antiochus,  as  many  think;  but  as  so  much  said  is 
wholly  inappplicable  to  him,  the  conclusion  is  unavoid- 
able, that  he  was  speaking  also  of  another  and  more  im- 
portant spiritual  abomination,  to  arise  further  on.  So 
the  Master,  while  telling  of  the  abomination  by  the 
Romans,  so  near  at  hand,  clearly  had  in  his  eye  another 
and  more  detestable  abomination  in  the  more  distant  fu- 
ture. Hence  his  caveat,  "Let  him  that  readeth  under- 
stand," clearly  intimating  the  existence  of  a  deeper  mean- 
ing and  a  different  abomination. 

The  apostle  John  just  as  clearly  refers  to  a  future 
abomination.  He  says  nothing  in  his  vision  about  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  for  that  was  already  past.  He 
was  banished,  as  we  believe,  under  Domitian,  and  not 
Nero1 ;  the  city  was  therefore  already  destroyed,  and  the 
sacrifice  removed.  From  his  standpoint  the  coming  ills 
were  all  in  the  future — something  yet  to  be  set  up — and 
something  dealing  entirely  with  the  church  of  God  in  the 
latter  days ;  in  other  words,  the  Antichrist,  or  Man  of 
Sin,  of  which  Paul  also  speaks,  and  from  the  rise  of 
which,  and  not  from  the  destruction  of  the  city,  we  are 
to  date  the  beginning  of  the  forty-two  months,  the  "time, 
times  and  a  half,"  three  and  a  half  years,  the  1,260  years; 
when  the  real  and  true  sanctuary  was  to  be  cleansed ;  and 
when,  after  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  had  been  brought 

^or  the  reason®:  (1),  John,  the  last  of  the  apostles;  Domitian, 
the  last  of  the  Csesars — suggestive  contrast!  (2),  If  standing  in 
John's  day,  and  so  soon  to  be  destroyed,  unaccountable  that  no 
mention  is  made  of  it  in  the  Apocalypse.  ( 3 ) ,  Express  testimony 
of  Irenaeus.  Speaking  of  the  Apocalypse  he  says,  "For  that  was 
seen  no  very  long  time  since,  but  almost  in  our  day,  toward  the 
end  of  Domitian's  reign."  {Clark's  Pub.,  II.,  138.)  Eusebius 
quotes  the  same  in  his  history,  p.  102. 


78  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

in,  the  Jews  would  return  to  their  land,  not,  however,  to 
rebuild  the  temple,  and  reinstate  the  Jewish  worship,  as 
Dr.  Rutledge  and  followers  affirm. 

According,  then,  to  the  concurrent  testimony  of  Daniel, 
John,  and  the  Saviour,  with  all  of  whom  Paul  so  fully 
agrees,  some  great  abomination  was  to  be  set  up  in  the 
future,  apart  from,  and  after  the  destruction*  of  the  city, 
and  the  dispersion  of  the  people,  which  was  to  be  the  be- 
ginning of  the  1260  period,  and  to  which  the  former 
simply  pointed  as  prophecy  and  type. 

What  then  was  that  abomination?  And  zvhen  set  up? 
Daniel  tells  us  very  plainly  where  to  look  for  it,  as  well  as 
the  time  of  its  appearing.  He  tells  us  that  it  was  to  be 
found  in  the  two  feet  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  image,  after 
the  division  of  the  Roman  empire  into  ten  subordinate 
kingdoms,  and  would  appear  in  the  form  of  two  horns 
or  powers — the  one  imbedded  in,  and  growing  out  of  the 
one  foot,  and  the  other  imbedded  in,  and  coming  out  of 
the  other  foot ;  both,  therefore,  appearing  about  the  same 
time;  the  one  the  regular  descendant  of  the  four  great 
empires ;  the  other  the  offspring  of  the  third  great  beast, 
and  though  seemingly  outside  in  its  origin,  yet  so  in- 
grafted in,  and  identified  with,  as  to  become  one  with  the 
eastern  leg,  and  to  act  in  unison  with  the  western,  in  its 
tyranny  over  the  earth. 

A  bird's  eye  view  of  the  prophetic  utterances  of  Dan- 
iel will  aid  in  this  investigation. 

In  Chapter  vii.  he  tells  of  a  strange  and  mysterious 
king  coming  out  of  the  fourth  or  Roman  monarchy,  and 
also  described  in  Chapters  ix.  and  xi.  as  the  king  who 
would  destroy  the  city  and  take  away  the  sacrifice. 

In  Chapter  viii.  he  tells  of  another  king  of  fierce  coun- 
tenance, and  understanding  dark  sentences,  to  come  out 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  79 

of  the  third  beast,  or  Grecian  monarchy,  of  whom  it  is 
also  said  that  he  would  take  away  the  sacrifice,  and  set 
up  an  abomination. 

In  Chapter  xi.  he  gives  the  general  history  of  his 
people,  from  the  time  of  the  Persian  empire  till  the  end 
of  time ;  and  more  especially  how  that,  after  alternate 
struggles  between  the  kings  of  Syria  and  Egypt,  the 
upper  and  lower  portions  of  Alexander's  kingdom,  one 
on  the  north  and  the  other  on  the  south  of  Jerusalem, 
and  therefore  spoken  of  as  the  king  of  the  north  and  the 
king  of  the  south,  the  "ships  of  Chittim"  would  come,  and 
"Arms  should  stand,"  generally  understood  of  the 
Romans,  described  as  a  wilful  king,  who  would  neither 
regard  the  God  of  his  fathers  nor  the  desire  of  women; 
who  would  pollute  the  sanctuary,  and  take  away  the  sac- 
rifice ;  who  would  magnify  himself,  speaking  against  the 
God  of  gods,  worshipping  a  strange  God,  even  the  god 
Mauzzim,  or  defenders, —  (patrons  of  saints  and 
images) — and  for  a  while  rule  with  power  and  great 
riches. 

I  understand  the  concluding  verses  (40-45)  to  refer 
to  the  Romans  and  at  a  later  period,  at  the  end  of  time, 
and  therefore  the  nomenclature,  "the  king  of  the  north," 
and  "Icing  of  the  south,"  changes,  so  that  the  king  of  the 
north  would  be  the  Saracens,  and  the  king  of  the  south 
the  Turks,  "at  the  time  of  the  end,"  therefore,— that  is, 
the  time  that  shall  lead  to  the  end, — the  king  of  the  north, 
or  Saracens,  would  push  at  the  Romans,  as  they  did,  and 
the  king  of  the  south,  or  Turks,  would  come  against  him 
like  a  whirlwind,  with  chariots  and  horsemen  and  with 
many  ships,  as  they  did.  He,  that  is,  the  Turks,  would 
enter  the  countries  and  overflow  and  pass  over.  He 
would  also  enter  the  glorious  land,  and  subdue  countries. 


8o  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

Edom  and  Moab  would  escape,  but  Egypt  would  not  es- 
cape. Yet  tidings  out  of  the  north  (Russian  invasion), 
and  from  the  east  (yet  in  the  future,  perhaps  Persia), 
shall  trouble  him.  He  shall  plant  the  tabernacles  of  his 
palace  (his  camps)  between  the  seas,  in  the  glorious 
mountain.  Yet  he  shall  come  to  his  end,  and  none  shall 
help  him. 

Tn  Chapter  xiii.  he  tells  of  the  time  of  the  continuance 
of  the  real  pollution,  and  the  length  of  time  necessary  for 
the  destruction  of  the  two  aforesaid  kings  mentioned  in 
Chapters  vii.  and  viii.,  viz.,  1260,  and  1290  years  for 
perfecting  the  cleansing  of  the  real  spiritual  temple ;  and 
1335  as  the  blessed  period. 

Here,  then,  we  have  (1),  The  different  nations  of  peo- 
ple from  whom  the  oppression  is  to  come — the  Romans 
and  Turks.  (2),  The  different  forms  of  oppression,  two 
wicked  kings,  represented  by  two  horns.  (3),  The  dif- 
ferent peoples  oppressed ;  not  only  the  Jews,  but  also 
the  Gentile  world.  (4),  The  time  of  continuance  of  the 
oppression,  1260  and  1290  years.  (5),  The  period  of 
complete  and  blessed  deliverance,  viz.,  1335. 

In  hunting  for  these  two  horns,  or  wicked  kings,  we 
need  not  be  long  in  the  search.  Interpreters  are  generally 
agreed  that  the  first  little  horn  of  Daniel,  Chapter  VII., 
refers  to  the  Papacy.  We  are  just  as  fully  persuaded  that 
the  other  little  horn  in  Chapter  viii.  finds  its  counterpart 
in  Mohammedanism.  We  may  not  be  able  to  go  as  far 
as  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  who  held  that  Mohammedanism  was 
the  second  beast  of  John,  yet  we  must  believe  that  he  is 
the  second  horn  of  Daniel.  To  make  the  two  horns  refer 
to  the  Papacy,  as  some  have  done,  is  to  confound  things 
entirely  different,  fail  to  explain  all  parts,  and  besides  a 
useless  repetition,  unusual  in  scripture.    The  aptness  too 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  81 

of  the  description  fixes  the  interpretation.  "A  king  of 
fierce  countenance" ;  Mohammed  proffered  only  submis- 
sion or  the  sword.  "His  power  was  mighty,  but  not  of 
himself";  Mohammed  inherited  no  hereditary  dominion, 
but  was  a  self-made  man.  "Understanding  dark  sen- 
tences." How  applicable  to  the  Koran ! — a  book  remark- 
able for  "its  sententious  obscurity,"  as  Scott  has  well 
said,  and  as  every  one  knows  who  has  ever  read  the  same. 
He  was  also  to  "stand  against  the  Prince  of  princes." 
Mohammedanism  seeks  the  destruction  of  the  supremacy 
of  Christ.  "Cast  down  some  of  the  host  of  heaven,"  and 
"in  his  hand  craft  would  prosper,"  all  of  which  find  their 
counterpart  in  that  delusion. 

Here,  then,  in  these  two  contemporaneous  and  singu- 
larly strange  and  mysterious  religions,  one  imbedded  in, 
and  by  natural  descent  coming  out  of  the  one  foot,  and  the 
other  imbedded  in  by  amalgamation,  and  identified  with 
the  other  foot  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  image,  we  have  the 
two  horns  by  which  the  world  was  to  be,  and  has  so  long 
been  gored.  The  one,  Popery,  with  its  sister,  the  Greek 
Church,  with  the  Czar,  (contraction  of  Caesar)  as  its 
head ;  and  the  other,  Mohammedanism.  Rome  stands  as 
the  representative  of  the  one,  Constantinople  of  the  other. 

The  reason  why  these  two  are  selected  and  empha- 
sized out  of  all  the  other  false  religions  is,  as  we  imagine, 
first,  because  of  their  historical  connections,  and  secondly, 
on  account  of  their  blasphemous  assumptions  and  tenden- 
cies, the  one  making  the  Pope  the  Vicar  of  Christ,  with 
the  Virgin  Mary  as  the  intercessor,  and  the  other  in  en- 
throning Mohammed  in  the  place  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  "Great  is  Allah,  and  Mohammed  is  his  prophet," 
being  the  Muezzin's  daily  cry.  In  all  of  which  the 
throne  and   prerogatives  of  Christ  are   ignored,   if  not 


82  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

directly  assailed,  which  cannot  be  said  of  Buddhism, 
Shintooism,  Taoism,  or  any  other  false  religion ;  for, 
though  these  may  be  even  more  degraded  and  degrad- 
ing, they  are  nevertheless   free   from  such  blasphemies. 

Then  there  is  something  quite  suggestive  as  to  the 
association,  if  not  in  the  actual  kinship,  of  the  two. 
Alike  and  yet  unlike,  enemies  and  yet  friends,  like  Herod 
and  Pontius  Pilate,  making  friends  in  order  to  their 
better  prosecution  of  their  unhallowed  warfare  upon 
the  church  of  God.  Of  Amsterdam  it  has  been  said 
that  it  was  a  "Vulgar  Venice."  So  of  Constantinople  it 
might  also  be  said  that  it  was  a  "Vulgar  Rome."  It 
shows,  though  in  a  subordinate  degree,  all  the  leading 
features  of  the  imperial  city.  It  imitates  in  these  par- 
ticulars:  (i),  Once  the  Capital  of  the  Empire;  it  still 
claims  supremacy  over  the  one-half,  as  Rome  over  the 
other.  (2),  Like  its  rival,  it  is  built  upon  seven  hills, 
though  not  as  distinctly  defined  as  those  of  the  former. 
(3),  It  has  its  great  church  edifice,  the  Mosque  of  St. 
Sophia,  but  not  equal  in  grandeur  to  the  magnificent 
structure  of  St.  Peters  at  Rome.  (4),  Both  are  intol- 
erant and  exclusive,  though  the  sway  of  the  former  is 
not  so  extensive  as  that  oi  the  latter.  (5),  The  one 
directly  in  the  path  of  the  Jew,  and  the  other  in  the  way 
of  the  Gentile.  It  is  for  this  outward,  if  not  inward  af- 
filiation, that  nas  led  Barnes  and  others  to  adopt  the  view 
making  Mohammedanism  the  false  prophet,  to  be  cast 
at  last  with  the  beast  into  the  burning  flame. 

What  we  have  already  said  is  a  sufficient  answer  to 
the  third  question,  'What  has  Mohammedanism  to  do 
zvith  the  pollution  of  the  sanctuary?"  With  the  first  de- 
struction and  first  pollution  it  has  nothing  to  do.  That 
was  the  work  of  the  Roman,  as  we  have  already  seen. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  83 

But  it  has  had  much  to  do  with  its  after  pollution  and 
continued  disturbance,  and  interference  of  its  service 
(JtC  aurov  0u<na  erapaydrf).  By  him  ivas  the  sacrifice 
disturbed,  as  the  Septuagint  has  it ;  much  to  do 
with  the  setting  up,  and  keeping  set  up,  the  second,  real, 
true  abomination;  much  to  do  with  interfering  with  the 
return  of  the  Jews,  and  cleansing  of  the  true  tabernacle. 
The  Romans  first  took  the  city  and  trampled  it  under 
foot.  The  Mohammedans  afterwards  took  it,  and  further 
degraded  it  by  locating  their  Mosque  upon  the  very  spot 
occupied  by  the  temple-  of  Solomon.  Thus  the  two  unit- 
ing in  the  humiliation ;  the  one  showing  contempt  by 
razing  it  to  the  ground,  the  other  by  the  substitution  of 
its  iniquitous  rites  for  its  holy  service;  and  not  only 
united  in  the  humiliation,  but  equally  so  in  their  opposi- 
tion to  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  concerning  the 
final  triumph  of  the  gospel,  the  bringing  in  of  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Gentiles,  and  the  return  of  the  Jews,  if  not 
to  their  native  land,  at  least  their  fealty  to  their  rejected 
Messiah. 

Behold  then  the  picture !  This  double  abomination,  as 
well  as  double  domination!  (See  frontispiece.)  One  from 
within2  and  the  other  from  without  the  temple  of  the  liv- 
ing. God.  Both  standing  for  centuries  with  their  feet 
upon  the  neck  of  the  Jewish  and  Gentile  world!  And 
the  two,  like  Egypt  and  Babylon  of  old,  though  acting 
separately,  yet  conjointly  to  the  same  end ;  and,  uncier 
the  skilful  management  of  the  great  adversary  of  souls, 
to  prevent  the  spread  and  final  triumph  of  the  Redeem- 
er's kingdom.     But,   like   all   the  other   enemies  of  the 

2This  is  the  reason  why  the  Papacy,  rather  than  Mohammedan- 
ism, is  emphasized  as  the  antichrist,  because  within  the  pale  of 
the  church. 


84  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

gospel,  these  too  must  perish.  Whoso  arrays  himself 
against  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  may  expect,  sooner  or 
later,  to  be  overwhelmed,  and  to  be  brought  to  the  dust. 
The  confession  of  the  apostate  Julian  will  yet  be  ex- 
torted from  the  lips  of  every  vaunting  foe,  "Thou  hast 
conquered,  O  Galilean."  Jesus  is  yet  to  reign  over  all 
the  earth.  Every  knee  is  to  bow,  every  lip  to  confess. 
The  little  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands 
is  now  smiting,  and  will  continue  to  smite,  the  image  in 
his  feet  till  the  whole  is  destroyed.  The  time  of  their 
triumph  is  given  as  1,260  years  to  the  former,  and  1,290 
to  the  latter;  or,  if  both  of  these  refer  to  the  same 
event,  the  latter  number  will  be  the  required  time  for 
the  complete  finishing  of  the  work  of  destruction,  and 
1,335  years  for  the  recognition,  if  not  full  establishment, 
of  the  kingdom. 

Beginning  of  these  Prophetic  Periods. 

If  the  true  and  real  abomination  was  not  set  up  at  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  but  in  after  years,  we  are  at 
once  relieved  of  all  the  difficulties  which  have  beset  in- 
terpreters in  their  vain  attempts  to  harmonize  the  pro- 
phetic periods  with  that  event.  We  have  only  to  in- 
quire when  this  man  of  sin  within,  and  this  king  of  fierce 
countenance  without,  one  in  the  east  and  the  other  in  the 
west,  were  set  up.  Their  continuance  was  to  be  1,260 
and  1,290  years.  To  know  their  beginning  is  to  know 
their  ending.  As  they  rose  about  the  same  time,  they 
will  doubtless  also  go  out  about  the  same  time. 

There  are  three  different  dates  given  by  different  inter- 
preters for  the  rise  of  the  beast,  the  setting  up  of  the 
abomination,  and  therefore  the  beginning  of  the    1,260 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  85 

years.  Some  fix  it  as  early  as  A.  D.  553,  when  the  em- 
peror Justinian  issued  his  edict  recognizing  John  II.  as 
head  of  the  church.  Others  fix  the  time  in  the  year  606, 
when  Emperor  Phocas  proclaimed  Boniface  III.  uni- 
versal bishop.  And  others  again,  as  late  as  752,  when 
Pepin  of  France  conferred  on  Pope  Stephen  the  exar- 
chate of  Ravenna  in  return  for  his  confirming  act  in 
settling  upon  him  the  crown  of  France.  The  year  usually 
adopted  by  a  majority  of  interpreters  is  the  middle  one, 
viz.,  606.  By  adding  1,260,  the  life  of  the  beast,  we 
have  the  year  18663  as  about  the  time  for  the  termina- 
tion of  the  prophetic  period.  And  it  is  a  most  remark- 
able fact  that  the  revolution  in  Italy  under  Victor  Eman- 
uel, beginning  about  that  time,  resulted  in  1868  in  the 
unification  of  Italy,  the  forever  taking  away  from  the 
Pope  his  temporal  power,  and  throwing  open  the  gates  of 
Rome  to  the  world,  and  thus  bringing  about  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  political  power,  or  death  of  the  first  beast, 
and  clearly  establishing  the  correctness  of  the  day  year 
principle  of  interpretation. 

But  Daniel  gives  another  important  date,  viz.,  1290, 
when  another  disaster  might  be  expected  to  befall  the 
kingdom  of  the  beast,  and  also  pointing  forward  to  a 
happy  period  a  little  further  on,  adding,  "Blessed  is  he 
that  waiteth,  and  cometh  to  the  thousand  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty-five."  Add  to  these  years  606,  and  we 
have  as  the  important  years  1896  and  1941.  The  year 
1898  witnessed  the  further  outpouring  of  the  fifth  vial, 
this  time  upon  Spain,  another  seat  of  the  beast  and  sup- 
porter of  Papal   supremacy.     What  the  year   1941   will 

"This  date  long  ago  fixed  by  Faber,  Newton,  Scott,  Gill  and 
others. 


86  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

bring  forth  remains  to  be  seen.  By  that  time  we  con- 
fidently expect  a  wonderful  change  and  development  in 
the  progress  of  events,  if  not  another  complete  upheaval. 
It  may  not  be  possible,  nor  is  it  necessary,  for  us  to 
know  the  exact  date  for  the  fulfilment  of  these  impend- 
ing prophecies ;  it  is  enough  to  be  assured  of  their  near- 
ness. The  mariner  may  not  be  able  to  see  the  land,  yet 
his  log  book  and  sounding  line  tell  him  that  he  is  nearing 
the  shore.  The  driftwood  told  Columbus  of  his  nearness 
to  land.  We  may  not  know  of  the  day  or  hour,  nor  even 
the  year,  of  the  fulfilment  of  these  prophecies,  and  yet 
know  that  they  are  near  at  hand,  even  in  sight.  As  no 
interpreter  has  placed  the  time  for  the  rise  of  the  beast 
earlier  than  533,  and  none  later  than  753,  we  feel  war- 
ranted in  saying  that  the  1260  years  began  somewhere  be- 
tween these  extremes,  and  therefore  must  expire  some- 
where in  the  present  century.  As  the  rise  of  the  Papacy 
was  gradual,  so  also  will  be  its  decline.  Like  the  rest  of  the 
beasts  of  which  Daniel  speaks,  though  their  dominion 
would  be  taken  away,  their  "lives  would  be  prolonged 
for  a  season."  (Chapter  vii.  12.)  As  in  the  old  Baby- 
lonish captivity,  intended  as  the  type,  there  were  several 
removals  and  returns,  so  doubtless  it  will  be  here. 
Neither  Popery  nor  Mohammedanism  is  to  be  destroyed 
in  a  moment,  but,  like  all  other  false  religions,  to  be  con- 
sumed gradually.  That  their  destruction  has  already 
commenced  none  can  doubt.  One  of  the  horns,  the  po- 
litical, was  broken  off  when  he  ceased  to  be  a  temporal 
ruler.  The  other,  the  religious,  will  gradually  fall  away, 
and  years  may  be  required  for  its  complete  eradication. 
The  signs  and  indications  all  point  to  the  rapid  fulfil- 
ment of  the  remaining  vials.  And  we  see  no  reason  why 
we  may  not  expect  to  see,  with  the  beginning  of  the  next 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  87 

century,  which  is  to  introduce  the  seventh  or  sabbatic 
thousand  of  the  world,  the  overthrow  of  the  beast — the 
complete  drying  up  of  the  Euphrates, — the  destruction 
of  all  the  open  enemies  of  the  church,  and  the  last  great 
upheaval  which  is  to  usher  in  the  Millennial  reign ! 

Concluding  Remark. 

I  have  endeavored  in  the  preceding  pages  to  give,  in 
brief  outline,  the  meaning  of  these  prophecies,  as  they 
appear  to  me,  and  according  to  the  scheme  as  usually  held 
by  leading  interpreters,  and  also  ventured  to  give  some 
dates  as  to  the  time  of  their  fulfilment.  In  doing  this 
I  have  adhered  to  the  purpose  of  leaving  out  all  minor 
details,  and  only  sought  to  give  the  general  outline,  that 
they  might  be  the  more  easily  comprehended.  How  far 
I  have  succeeded  in  giving  a  clue  to  the  general  meaning 
I  must  leave  the  reader  to  judge.  To  my  own  mind  the 
interpretations  and  explanations  given  have  generally 
been  not  only  satisfactory,  but  in  many  instances  over- 
whelmingly convincing.  While  there  is  a  great  deal  that 
is  obscure,  as  in  everything  else  around  us,  a  great  deal 
also  appears  very  plain.  As  to  the  correctness  of  the 
dates  given,  the  future  alone  will  determine.  I  may  here 
add,  that  nothing  has  more  confirmed  me  in  the  truth 
of  Revelation  than  the  study  of  this  book.  It  bears  upon 
every  page  the  impress  of  a  divine  hand.  It  could  never 
have  been  written  by  an  uninspired  pen.  The  general 
correspondence  between  the  symbols  employed  and  the 
leading  facts  of  history  is  so  obvious  that  one  must  be 
blind  not  to  be  able  to  see  the  agreement.  The  one  fits 
the  other  as  the  shoe  the  foot.  The  very  fact,  too,  that 
the  correspondence  has  been  running  for  eighteen  cen- 


88  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

turies  establishes  the  identity  with  all  the  certainty  of  a 
demonstration;  the  recorded  facts  being  but  the  unmis- 
takable adumbration  of  the  prophetic  utterances,  as  a 
man's  shadow  is  but  the  easily  recognized  outline  of 
himself. 

Practical  Lessons. 

There  are  several  practical  lessons  to  be  drawn  from 
the  study  of  these  prophecies. 

i,  There  is  much  to  be  learned  in  the  department  of 
Christian  Apolegetics,  not  only  in  the  accurate  delinia- 
tion  of  future  events,  but  more  especially  in  the  adjust- 
ment of  the  hebdomadal  feature  with  the  facts  of  history. 
We  meet  with  the  number  seven  on  every  side.  There 
are  seven  churches,  seven  seals,  seven  trumpets,  seven 
vials,  seven  thunders,  seven  candlesticks,  seven  stars, 
seven  angels,  seven  heads,  and  so  through  the  entire  book. 
Now  instead  of  the  constant  use  of  the  number  seven 
being  evidence  of  a  studied  scheme,  and  thus  casting 
suspicion  upon  the  true  predictive  character  of  the  book, 
as  Professor  Milligan  intimates,  in  nothing  do  we  more 
clearly  see  the  divine  hand  than  in  this  very  correlation 
of  the  plan  of  creation  and  of  the  prophetic  scheme.  It 
is  the  same  as  the  argument  for  the  indestructibility  of 
the  Christian  Sabbath  drawn  from  the  correlation  of  the 
seven  days  of  the  week  with  the  seven  periods  of  crea- 
tion. None  but  an  omniscient  and  omnipotent  Creator 
could  have  so  mutually  arranged  and  adjusted  before- 
hand the  several  periods  of  history  to  the  hebdomadal 
periods  of  prophecy,  or  periods  of  prophecy  to  those  of 
history.  The  whole  plan  or  scheme  is  too  far  removed 
from  the  sphere  of  human  power  and  human  knowledge 
to  be  attributed  to  an  uninspired  pen.     Every  one  who 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  89 

neglects  the  study  of  this  book  has  much  to  lose,  not 
only  in  the  quickening  of  his  devotion,  but  also  in  the 
deepening  of  his  convictions  in  the  truths  of  revelation 
and  the  inspiration  of  the  scriptures. 

2,  The  second  great  lesson  taught  is  the  danger  of 
uniting  church  and  state,  and  it  matters  little  which  be 
made  supreme.  The  whole  history  of  civilization,  as 
well  as  of  the  church,  is  but  a  standing  protest  against 
every  such  unhallowed  alliance.  When  the  state  becomes 
the  guardian  and  controller  of  the  faith  of  God's  people 
and  God's  cause,  and  Caesar  undertakes  to  enforce  the 
teachings  and  doctrines  of  the  scriptures ;  or  when  the 
state  tamely  submits  to  the  dictation  of  the  church  as 
its  sovereign  head,  then  the  fagot,  the  prison,  the  inqui- 
sition, and  the  guillotine,  will  be  the  next  things  in  order. 
When  state  authority  and  religious  bigotry  are  vested 
in  the  same  person,  then  the  world  may  well  tremble. 
No  wonder  we  have  presented  to  us  in  this  prophecy  this 
union  as  the  last  and  the  greatest  of  the  threatened  woes. 
It  is  high  time  the  world  was  seeing  the  extreme  peril 
of  uniting  church  and  state.  God's  plan  is  unquestionably 
for  his  church  to  rule  the  world,  but  not  in  its  organic 
capacity,  but  simply  by  the  dissemination  of  its  prin- 
ciples, and  the  instruction  and  preparation  of  her  rulers 
for  their  high  and  responsible  position. 

3,  The  third  lesson  Is  the  still  greater  peril  flozving  out 
of  her  affiliation  with  the  world.  Every  such  union 
means  only  degradation  and  loss  of  power.  Israel  en- 
tered into  union  with  the  Philistines,  and  the  confusion 
of  speech  which  followed  attested  the  evil  fruits  of  the 
alliance,  the  children  speaking  "half  in  the  language  of 
Ashdod  and  half  in  that  of  Israel."  Ahaziah  joined 
his    forces   with   those   of   wicked   King   Joram,    and   a 


90  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

mortal  wound  was  the  recompence  of  his  folly.  When  in 
early  times  "the  sons  of  God  took  to  themselves  wives 
of  the  daughters  of  men,"  all  flesh  soon  corrupted  itself, 
and  a  disastrous  flood  became  the  sequel  of  the  story. 
In  every  instance  of  worldly  conformity  in  which  human 
methods  and  schemes  are  adopted,  the  church  is  in- 
variably the  loser.  Instead  of  lifting  up  the  world,  she 
misses  her  aim,  and  only  drags  herself  down.  This  is 
one  of  the  perils  which  confronts  her  to-day.  The  float- 
ing foam  and  rushes  on  the  bosom  of  the  sea  no  more 
clearly  show  the  direction  of  the  moving  tide  than  mod- 
ern innovations  and  changes  the  direction  in  which  her 
bark  is  now  drifting.  Instead  of  occupying  the  high 
vantage  ground  assigned  her  by  her  Lord,  that  of  entire 
separation  from  the  world,  she  is  seen  in  the  vale  below, 
"striving  with  the  potsherds  of  the  earth."  Instead  of 
keeping  her  garments  "unspotted  and  pure,"  she  is  allow- 
ing them  to  become  bespattered  and  begrimed  with  the 
filth  and  pollution  of  a  corrupting  world.  Witness  the 
introduction  of  politics  and  platform  themes  into  her 
pulpits,  and  in  some  instances  even  the  arts  of  the  buf- 
foon. Witness  the  profuse  floral  decorations,  artistic 
music,  operatic  solos,  stereopticon  performances,  fairs, 
suppers,  entertainments,  rummage  sales,  and  the  like,4 
all  connected  with,  and  resulting  in,  the  lowering  of  her 
standards,  the  abolition  of  discipline,  the  compromising 
of  the  truth,  and  the  consequent  weakening  of  her  influ- 
ence and  power.     See  the  different  forms,  too,  of  "will 

"These  things  are  done  by  individuals,  and  not  by  the  church, 
we  are  told;  then  why  the  deceptive  addendum,  "For  the  benefit 
of  the  church?"  If  the  Lord  and  his  church  be  the  beneficiaries, 
then  of  necessity  they  must  be  silent  partners  in  every  such 
transaction ! 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  91 

worship,"  the  numerous  self-appointed  sacrifices,  the  mul- 
tiplication and  substitution  of  "Societies,"  '"Leagues," 
and  "Associations"  of  every  sort,  springing  up  like 
worthless  weeds  on  every  side,  and  clamoring  for  a  place, 
and  demanding  equal  rights  in  the  courts  of  the  Lord's 
house  with  the  inspired  appointments  of  his  word.  In- 
stead of  Being  simply  "the  Church  of  God,"  standing 
alone  in  her  queenly  simplicity  and  beauty,  she  is  fast 
becoming  an  aggregation  of  human  societies.  Instead  of 
being  r-q  l/Ae/rg  the  called  out,  of  God,  and  that  in 
every  instance  as  the  only  motive  for  action,  we  are  asked 
to  recognize  the  necessity  of  the  superadded  imprint  of 
human  hands,  in  the  form  of  an  "Endeavor,"  on  the  part 
of  man ;  thus  virtually  charging  the  appointments  of 
God  with  incompleteness  and  imperfection.  Need  we 
wonder  at  the  withdrawal  of  the  Spirit,  the  superficial 
character  of  conviction,  and  the  numerous  spurious  con- 
versions, which,  instead  of  adding  to  her  strength,  only 
mar  her  beauty,  misrepresent  her  life,  and  foster  her 
pride  in  swelling  the  roll  of  her  membership.  The  ques- 
tion asked  by  the  Lord  of  his  people  of  old  may  well  be 
repeated  here :  "Who  hath  required  this  of  your  hand, 
to  tread  my  courts?"  (Isaiah  i.  12.)  We  feel  fully  as- 
sured that  nothing  is  gained  by  all  this  "daubing  with 
untempered  mortar."  The  cause  of  God  needs  no  such 
support  from  human  hands  any  more  than  the  uplifting 
and  steadying  of  the  overarching  firmament.  "To  obey 
is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than  the  fat  of 
rams."  (1  Sam.  xv.  22.)  The  fate  of  Uzzah  should  ever 
stand  as  a  warning  against  all  such  familiar  and  unlaw- 
ful handling  of  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  as  well  as  the 
threatened  plagues  pronounced  upon  all  those  who  would 
"add  to,  or  take  from,  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this 


92  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

book."  What  the  church  needs  is  another  cleansing  by 
driving  out  "the  sellers  of  doves  and  the  money  chang- 
ers" which  infest  her  courts.  Let  her  do  this,  and  bring 
in  her  tithes  and  offerings,  as  directed,  and  she  will  soon 
witness  the  opening  of  the  heavens,  and  the  outpouring 
of  a  blessing  there  will  not  be  room  enough  to  receive. 
4,  The  fourth  is  a  lesson  of  encouragement  and  hope 
to  every  Christian  worker.  Notwithstanding  his  peo- 
ple's guilty  toying  and  idle  dalliance  with  the  world,  his 
word  cannot  fail.  Prophecy  still  bespeaks  the  dawning 
of  the  morning  and  the  early  rising  of  the  day-star. 
From  the  signs  of  the  times,  the  day  of  the  church's  vic- 
tory and  final  deliverance  is  near  at  hand,  even  at  our 
very  doors.  The  truth  is  spreading,  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness is  rising  over  all  the  earth  with  healing  in  his  beams. 
Ethiopia  is  stretching  out  her  hand  to  God,  the  isles  of 
the  ocean  waiting  for  his  law.  The  present  great  strug- 
gle in  the  far  East,  no  matter  what  the  result,  will,  like 
all  others  of  similar  character,  only  be  for  the  furtherance 
of  the  gospel,  and  more  rapid  bringing  in  of  the  Millen- 
nial reign.  The  little  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain 
without  hands  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  will  soon  become 
the  great  mountain,  and  fill  the  whole  earth. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  93 


PROPHETIC  CHART. 

FOUR    GREAT    EMPIRES. 
I.  Chaldean. —  (Lion). 
II.  Medopersian. —  ( Bear ) . 

III.  Macedonian. —  ( Leopard ) . 

IV.  Roman. — Diverse  from  all  others) 


Kingdom  of  Christ. — Little  stone  to   fill   the  whole  earth. 
Fulfilled  at  the  Millennium. 


Woman    in    the    Wilderness. — The    True    Church. 

Seals. — The  church  under  Pagan  rule. 

1.  White  Horse — Conquest  and  prosperity. 

2.  Red  Horse — Dissension  and  strife. 

3.  Black  Horse — Trouble  and  distress. 

4.  Pale  Horse — General  dismay. 

5.  Souls   of  Martyrs — Persecution. 

6.  Earthquake — Revolution;    first    upheaval    under    Constantine. 

(Sealing  of  144,000.) 

7.  Seventh  seal,  including  the  seven  trumpets. 

Trumpets. — The    church    under    semi-Pagan    rule. 

1.  Fire  and  hail — Alaric  and  Goths. 

2.  Burning  mountain — Attila   and   Huns. 

3.  Falling  star — Genseric  and  Vandals. 

4.  Smiting  sun,  moon  and  stars — Subversion  of  Western  empire. 

5.  Locusts — Mohammedan  conquests.      (First  Woe.) 


94  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

6.  Euphratean    Horsemen — Turkish    conquests.       (Second    Woe.) 

(Slaying  of  witnesses.)        Second  earthquake  or  upheaval 
under  Luther. 

7.  Seventh  Trumpet,  including  the  seven  vials.     (Third  Woe.) 

Vials. — The  church  under  Papal  rule. 

1.  Upon  the  earth — Sore  of  infidelity. 

2.  Upon  the  sea — Reign  of  terror. 

3.  Upon  the  fountains — General  bloodshed  following. 

4.  Upon  the  sun — Military  despotism. 

5    Upon  the  seat  of  the  beast — Rome  and  other  supporters, 
b*.  Upon    the    river    Euphrates — Destruction    of    Turkish    power. 
(Battle  of  Armageddon) — Great  struggle  of  principle. 

7.  Upon  the  air — Universal — third  and  last  great  earthquake  or 
upheaval  preparatory  to  the  Millennium. 


Millennium. — Emancipated  church  under  Christian  rule. 


Satan  Loosed. 

Battle  of  Gog  and  Magog. 

Resurrection  and  Judgment. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  95 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 


Medopersian   Ram    B.C.   534 

Commencement  of  2,300  days B.C.   434 

Termination  of  2,300  days A.D.    1866 

Rise  of  the  Papacy 606 

Rise  of  Mohammedanism 606 

First  Seal— White  Horse   96-180 

Second  Seal— Red  Horse   180-193 

Third  Seal— Black  Horse  193-243 

Fourth   Seal— Pale  Horse    243-248 

Fifth  Seal— Souls  of  martyrs 284-304 

Sixth   Seal— Earthquake    306-337 

First  Trumpet— Alaric  and  Goths   395-410 

Second  Trumpet — Attila  and  Huns  410-450 

Third  Trumpet — Genseric  and  Vandals    450-453 

Fourth  Trumpet — Subversion  of  Western  empire,  476-566 

Fifth  Trumpet — Saracenic  conquests    612-762 

Sixth  Trumpet— Turkish  conquests    1281-1672 

Slaying  of  witnesses   1517 

First  Vial— Sore  of  infidelity  1792 

Second  Vial — Reign  of  terror   1793 

Third  Vial— Wars  which  followed    1798 

Fourth  Vial — Imperial  despotism    1800 

Fifth  Vial— On  seat  of  the  beast  1798 

Sixth  Vial — Drying  river  Euphrates    1820 

Seventh  Vial — On  the  air — universal. 

Millennium    2000 


96  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

Three  important  dates  are  given  by  Daniel  and  John,  viz., 
1260,  1290,  1335.  Interpreters  generally  agree  that  these  periods 
start  at  the  same  time,  but  differ  as  to  the  time  to  begin  the 
count.  Some  begin  with  the  year  533,  some  with  606,  and 
others  again  with  753.  If  we  adopt  the  first,  viz.,  533,  and  add 
to  this  number  the  above  mentioned  figures,  we  will  have,  as  the 
import-ant  years,  1793,  1823,  1868.  If  we  adopt  the  second,  viz., 
606,  we  will  have  the  years  1866,  1896,  1941.  If  we  adopt  the 
last,  viz.,  753,  we  will  have,  as  the  important  years,  2012,  2042, 
2087.  According  to  either  interpretation  the  Millennium  can- 
not be  very  far  off. 

As  to  the  time  for  the  resurrection  and  judgment,  we  abso- 
lutely know  nothing,  for  nothing  has  been  revealed.  <rBut  of  that 
day  and  that  hour  knoweth  no  man — no,  not  the  angels  which 
are  in  heaven,  neither  the  Son,  but  the  Father." 


PART   II. 

SECOND  COMING  OF  CHRIST. 


Every  coming  but  a  dim  adumbration  of  the  final  coming.—  Trench. 


PART  II. 

THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  CHRIST. 

THE  entire  Christian  world  are  agreed  as  to  the  fact 
of  the  second  coming,  but  differ  widely  as  to  the 
time;  the  one  part  holding  that  he  will  come  before,  and 
the  other  after,  the  Millennium.  It  will  be  perceived  at  a 
glance  that  a  world-wide  distance  separates  these  two 
classes,  and  that  the  plan  of  interpreting  the  whole  book 
of  Revelation,  as  well  as  other  portions  of  the  scriptures, 
will  depend  entirely  upon  which  of  the  two  theories  we 
adopt. 

In  order  to  a  full  and  intelligent  understanding  of  the 
relative  claims  of  the  two  we  must  know  precisely  the 
things  asserted  and  believed. 

POSTMILLENNIALISM. 

The  view  of  the  postmillennialist  is  simple  and  easy 
of  comprehension.  He  holds  that  Christ  will  not  come 
till  the  end  of  time,  when  he  will  return  as  he  went  up, 
in  great  pomp,  with  a  retinue  of  angels,  and  shall  sit 
upon  his  throne,  when  all  the  living  and  the  dead  shall 
appear  before  him,  the  latter  being  raised  from  their 
graves,  and  be  judged  out  of  the  books,  and  every  man 
to  receive  as  his  works  shall  be,  whether  good  or  bad. 

Premillennialism. 

The  theory  of  the  premillennialist,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
complicated,  and  not  so  easy  of  comprehension,  requir- 


ioo  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

ing  study  fully  to  understand  it,  even  the  advocates  them- 
selves differing  among  themselves  on  several  points.  As 
far  as  I  can  gather  it,  they  hold  that  Christ  will  first 
come  to  meet  and  receive  his  people,  at  which  time  there 
will  be  a  resurrection  of  the  just,  and  a  change  of  liv- 
ing believers,  when  these  shall  all  be  caught  up  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air.  This  is  what  they  term  'The  Rap- 
ture," and  which  is  imminent,  and  may  occur  at  any  mo- 
ment, the  object  being  to  take  the  church  out  of  the 
tribulation  about  to  be  visited  upon  the  earth.  The 
church  being  thus  removed,  the  great  tribulation,  which 
is  to  continue  through  Daniel's  week  of  seven  years,  will 
follow,  when  all  the  judgments  will  be  visited,  and  vials 
of  God's  wrath  poured  out.  During  this  period  Anti- 
christ will  appear  and  the  Jews  be  restored,  in  part  or 
whole.  At  the  end  of  this  tribulation  period  the  Saviour, 
with  his  saints,  will  descend  to  the  earth  in  flaming  fire, 
to  execute  judgment  on  the  earth.  This  is  what  they 
term  the  "Revelation,"  and  what  they  regard  as  the  sec- 
ond coming  proper.  Then  the  judgment  of  the  nations, 
or  of  all  the  living,  spoken  of  in  Matthew  xxv.  31-46,  to 
determine  who  shall  be  subjects  of  the  millennial  king- 
dom, will  take  place,  which  will  be  followed  by  the  de- 
struction of  Antichrist,  the  beast  and  false  prophet, 
these  having  arisen  during  those  seven  years,  and  the 
binding  of  Satan.  Then  the  resurrection  of  the  tribula- 
tion saints,  those  who  lived  and  died  during  the  tribula- 
tion period,  and  which  they  term  the  "Gleanings,"  and 
which  completes  the  first  resurrection.  Then  the  Millen- 
nium, which  is  "one  continuous  judgment,"  and  in  which 
Christ  shall  reign  with  his  saints  on  earth  for  one  thou- 
sand years.  After  this  Satan  is  to  be  loosed,  and  then 
destroyed,  with  Gog  and  Magog.     Then  the  erection  of 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  101 

the  great  white  throne,  and  the  resurrection  and  judg- 
ment of  the  remaining  dead,  who  they  say  are  only  the 
wicked  dead. 

The  above  outline  I  take  from  a  little  work,  Jesus  Is 
Coming,  by  "W.  E.  B."  published  by  Fleming  H.  Revell 
Co.,  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  copies  of  which 
have  been  issued,  and  which  has  the  endorsement  of  such 
men  as  Dr.  J.  H.  Brooks,  Dr.  A.  T.  Pierson,  Dr.  A.  J. 
Gordon,  and  Dr.  R.  A.  Torrey  and  others,  and  quite  a 
number  of  religious  journals,  and  which  I  take  as  giving 
a  fair  representation  of  that  side. 

Dr.  Seiss  in  his  lectures  on  the  Apocalypse,  which  has 
reached  its  eighth  edition,  and  comprising  in  all  five 
thousand  sets,  and  which  may  also  be  considered  as 
standard,  puts  the  case  a  little  differently.  In  order  to 
escape  all  complications  connected  with  the  different 
resurrections,  he  presents  a  clear-cut  view,  boldly  assert- 
ing that  there  will  be  but  two  resurrections,  one  for  the 
righteous  before  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  Millennium, 
and  another  of  the  wicked  at  the  judgment  at  the  last 
day;  and  if  not  asserting  it  in  so  many  words,  clearly 
teaching  that  there  is  to  be  no  resurrection  at  all  after  the 
beginning  of  the  Millennium,  except  of  the  wicked,  the 
righteous  being  exempt  from  death  after  that  period,  be- 
ing secretly  caught  up  to  heaven  at  different  times. 

He  also  differs  from  "W.  E.  B."  in  the  length  of  the 
tribulation  period.  Instead  of  seven  years  he  makes  it 
forty,  and  even  seventy  years  and  more.  The  first  com- 
ing for  his  saints  he  terms  the  "parousia,"  and  his  com- 
ing with  them  the  "epiphania."  The  period  of  about 
seventy  years  immediately  preceding  the  Millennium  will 
comprise  the  "parousia,"  the  seals,  the  trumpets,  the 
vials,  the  judgment  of  the  living;  the  "epiphania,"  the  rise 


102  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

and  destruction  of  Antichrist,  and  the  binding  of  Satan. 
During  the  Millennium  the  saints  will  reign  with  the 
Lord  on  earth,  ruling  the  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron, 
which  he  terms  "shepherdizing  the  nations"  of  the  re- 
deemed earth,  the  inhabitants  of  which  will  perpetuate 
themselves  upon  the  earth  by  a  method  of  generation 
which  he  terms  "after  the  flesh,"  the  resurrection  saints, 
however,  being  of  the  royal  family,"  whose  peculiar  pre- 
rogative it  will  be  to  reign  over  the  others. 

Dr.  Rutledge  in  his  recent  work,  Christ,  Antichrist 
and  Millennium,  a  very  able,  exhaustive,  and  in  some 
respects  a  most  remarkable  book,  presents  the  same  gen- 
eral view,  differing,  however,  in  many  important  particu- 
lars. For  example,  he  denies  the  imminency  of  Christ's 
coming,  but  puts  it  in  the  distant  future.  He  makes 
the  "man  child,"  and  not  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  hindering 
power.  He  dissents  from  the  idea  that  there  will  be 
no  righteous  in  the  second  resurrection.  He  also  differs 
from  them  in  this,  that  Christ  will  not  reign  on  earth, 
but  in  heaven ;  his  reign,  however,  will  be  over  the  earth. 

In  order  to  assist  the  reader  the  better  to  keep'  in  mind 
the  different  parts  of  this  complicated  scheme,  I  make  the 
following  diagram: 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 


103 


DIAGRAM. 


u 
O 

<v 
u 

B 

+-» 

a 


M 
Meeting 

7  years 


.33 
o 

u 


w 

►d 
►d 

p 

a 

P 


T.  P. 


<l 

K- » 
P 

o 
o 


J.W.D. 


Church 


Ant. 


Millennial 
Kingdom 

1000  years 


B 


R.T.S- 


E 


A. — Resurrection  of  Dead  Saints. 
B. — Change  of  the  Living. 
T.  P. — Tribulation  Period. 

J. — Judgment  of  the  Living. 
Ant. — Antichrist. 
R.  T.  S. — Resurrection  of  Tribulation  Saints. 
J.  W.  D. — Judgment  of  the  Wicked  Dead. 
E. — Eternity  of  Glory. 

To  many  of  my  readers  the  foregoing  will  doubtless 
appear  to  be  new,  and  even  startling.  No  matter  what 
interpretation    overweening    critics    and    scholars    may 


104  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

draw  out  of  certain  texts,  I  seriously  doubt  whether  one 
tithe  of  the  things  herein  asserted  would  ever  suggest 
themselves  to  the  plain  and  unsophisticated  reader  of 
the  scriptures.  We  submit,  therefore,  at  the  very  outset, 
that  a  theory  that  runs  so  far  counter  to  the  common 
trend  of  Christian  thought  and  sentiment,  as  held  by  or- 
dinary Bible  readers  and  students,  as  to  startle  by  its 
very  announcement,  must  at  once  awaken  suspicion  as 
to  its  unsoundness.  Standing,  therefore,  upon  the  high 
vantage  ground  which  the  easy,  and  most  direct  and 
simple,  interpretation  of  the  scriptures  unmistakably 
gives,  I  proceed  to  point  out  some  of  the  more  serious, 
and  even  fatal  difficulties  with  which  the  premillennial 
theory  seems  to  be  hopelessly  environed. 

I.  Number  of  Comings. 

In  the  first  place,  the  reader  will  please  notice  the  num- 
ber of  comings.    There  are  three  of  these : 

i,  At  the  rapture,  when  Jesus  shall  come  for  his  saints. 

2,  At  the  revelation,  when  he  shall  come  with  his 
saints,  to  se  up  his  mediatorial  kingdom. 

3,  At  the  last  day,  when  he  shall  come  to  judge  the 
ungodly. 

Now  we  submit  just  here,  if  it  be  not  a  misnomer  to 
speak  of  these  three  distinct  comings  as  simply  one,  and 
characterize  them  as  his  second  coming.  They  hold  that 
he  is  first  to  come  for  his  saints,  and  then  zvith  his 
saints,  and  that  this  last  is  his  second  coming.  But  why 
not  the  first  as  well,  especially  as  it  is  so  emphasized 
with  the  sounding  of  the  trumpet,  the  voice  of  the  arch- 
angel, the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  the  change  of 
the  living?     If  the  coming  with  the  saints  be  a  coming, 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  105 

why  not  also  the  coming  for  the  saints?  To  avoid  this 
dilemma  and  reduce  two  to  one,  they  call  the  first  simply 
a  "meeting" ;  but  how  can  there  be  a  meeting  without  a 
coming?  And  with  what  propriety  can  a  coming,  osten- 
sibly for  the  purpose  of  gathering  his  saints,  and  result- 
ing so  gloriously  in  the  raising  of  the  dead  and  chang- 
ing the  living,  be  styled  only  a  "meeting"  ?  Dr.  Rutledge 
terms  it  simply  a  "stage"  in  the  coming.  But  how  a 
stage,  when  the  whole  transaction  is  described  to  be,  "in 
a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,"  and  at  "the  last 
trump"  ?  How  many  stages  can  there  be  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye? 

It  seems  that  Paul  has  settled  this  matter  in  1  Thessa- 
lonians  iv.  15,  where'  he  answers  the  question  about  our 
sleeping  dead,  and  where  he  says  nothing  about  different 
stages  or  stoppings  on  the  way,  or  mentions  any  other 
but  one  coming  and  one  meeting.  Says  he,  "At  the  com- 
ing of  the  Lord,  God  will  bring  with  him  those  who  are 
asleep  in  Jesus";  those  whose  spirits  are  already  with 
him  in  Paradise,  whose  bodies  will  then  be  raised  when 
the  living  saints  will  be  changed,  and  all  together  be 
caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air,  to  be  forever  with 
the  Lord." 

Here   we   have   clearly   set   forth — 

1st,  That  there  will  be  but  one  coming.  At  the  com- 
ing, ttjv  napoixnav  of  the  Lord.  The  apostle  speaks  of 
but  the  one  coming,  and  emphasizes  it  as  the  coming, 
without  giving  even  a  hint  of  any  other. 

2d,  He  also  describes  the  manner  of  the  coining.  It  is 
to  be  both  ~vith  and  for  the  saints.  He  is  to  come  for  the 
bodies  of  the  dead  saints,  all  at  once ;  also  for  the  living 
saints,  all  at  once.  But  for  the  souls  of  dead  saints 
he  is  to  come  one  by  one,  which  he  does  at  death,  and 


io6  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

this,  in  advance  of  the  other  coming.  How  different 
this  from  the  account  of  the  premillennialist,  that  he  is 
to  come  for  all  his  saints,  living  and  dead,  at  once ! 
Paul  says  he  is  to  bring  a  part  with  him,  and  come  for 
the  rest.  They  say  he  comes  for  all,  and  at  once.  Their 
theory  simply  shuts  dead  believers  out  of  Paradise,  for  a 
season  at  least,  and  is  in  direct  conflict  with  the  old 
theology,  that  "The  souls  of  believers  do  immediately 
pass  into  glory."  Paul  would  comfort  with  the  thought 
that  our  departed  friends  are  in  the  bosom  of  their  Lord ; 
their  theory  robs  them  of  that  comfort,  by  holding  that 
their  souls  are  still  on  earth,  and  he  is  yet  to  come  after 
them ! 

3d,  The  time  is  also  set  for  the  coining.  This  is  to  be 
at  the  "last  trump"  (1  Cor.  xv.  52),  and  therefore  the 
final  gathering.  No  other  falling  asleep  in  him,  no  other 
awaking  of  the  dead,  after  this.  And  yet  premillennial- 
ists  tell  us  that  this  is  only  the  first  stage  in  his  com- 
ing, and  gravely  assure  us  that  there  are  "gleanings," 
yet  to  be  gathered !  But  if  gleanings,  how  gathered,  and 
when?  Is  another  trumpet  yet  to  sound  after  this,  de- 
clared by  the  apostle  to  be  the  "last"  to  awake  those 
who,  if  not  "born,"  yet  seemingly  died  "out  of  due 
time"?  Is  Christ  to  come  in  person  a  second  time  after 
these,  or  is  it  to  be  simply  another  "meeting,"  without 
a  coming?  Obviously,  if  there  is  to  be  an  after  glean- 
ing, then  the  whole  transaction  is  to  be  repeated ;  for 
those  who  constitute  the  "gleanings"  will  also  be  asleep 
in  Christ,  and  he  must  go  after  them,  that  he  may  also 
bring  them  with  him  when  he  comes.  The  conclusion 
seems  inevitable,  either  no  death  alter  the  rapture,  or 
else  a  second  coming  for  his  saints.  If  he  is  to  come 
back  after  these,  then  there  will  be  a  second  coming  for 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  107 

his  saints.  If  he  is  to  come  again  with  them,  as  they 
claim,  this  also  will  be  a  second  coming  with  them.  Ac- 
cording then  to  their  theory,  there  must  be  two  distinct 
comings,  both  for  and  with  his  saints. 

Furthermore,  how  make  this  second  coming  stop  with 
the  Revelation  as  the  only  coming,  when  they  themselves 
teach  that  he  is  to  come  again  at  the  last  day,  to  judge 
the  ungodly  dead?  If  he  is  to  come  again  as  judge,  this 
will  clearly  make  the  third  coming,  unless  the  Lord  is  to 
remain  on  the  earth  after  the  Millennium,  until  the  final 
judgment,  as  Dr.  Rutledge  affirms.  But  in  this  they  are 
confronted  with  this  dilemma:  either  to  join  issue  with 
the  apostle  as  to  the  continuance  of  the  earthly  reign,  or 
else  admit  a  third  coming.  The  language  of  the  apostle 
is  explicit  in  this,  that  he  limits  the  reign  to  one  thou- 
sand years.  If  they  lengthen  that  reign,  they  place 
themselves  in  direct  conflict  with  the  inspired  word.  If 
they  end  it  with  the  Millennium,  they  leave  Christ  on 
earth,  a  disenthroned  king,  or  else  require  him  to  return 
to  heaven,  and  if  so,  to  come  again,  which  will  make  it 
the  third  time  for  him  to  come.  The  language  of  the 
scripture  is  everywhere  "come  again" ;  Jesus  says  "come 
again" ;  the  angels  say  "come  again" ;  so  also  the  apostles, 
prophets,  and  the  church  in  all  ages ;  but  the  theory  says 
come  again,  and  again,  and  again — three  times.  We 
leave  it  with  the  premillennialist  to  explain  by  what  pro- 
cess of  computation  three  can  be  equal  to  one,  or  one 
equal  to  three? 

II.  Number  of  Judgments. 

The  same,  and  even  greater,  incongruities  appear  in 
connection  with  the  number  of  judgments.  The  uni- 
form style  of  the  scriptures  is  to  speak  of  the  judgment 


108  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

as  one,  as  "the  judgment."  The  word  is  never  in  the 
plural — never  judgments.  They  declare  unqualifiedly 
that  all  men  are  to  appear  before  the  judgment  seat  of 
Christ,  without  any  allusion  whatever  to  different  classes, 
times,  or  occasions.  In  the  parable  of  the  talents  there 
was  but  one  time  of  reckoning;  so  in  that  of  the  hus- 
bandman, the  angels  were  to  separate  the  wheat  and  tares 
on  the  same  day.  In  the  judgment  in  Matthew  xxv. 
31-46,  the  righteous  and  wicked  both  appeared  before 
the  same  august  throne,  and  received  sentence  on  the 
same  occasion.  And  yet  they  would  have  us  believe  that 
there  are  to  be  two  distinct  judgments,  and  two  distinct 
occasions,  one  for  the  righteous  and  one  for  the  wicked ; 
and  that,  too,  at  periods  far  removed  from  each  other. 
If  the  sacred  writers  wished  to  say  that  we  were  all  to 
appear  before  the  same  bar,  both  righteous  and  wicked, 
and  be  judged  at  the  same  time,  we  do  not  see  how  they 
could  be  more  explicit.  If  the  Saviour  intended  to  teach 
that  the  righteous  and  wicked  were  to  stand  before  him 
on  the  same  occasion,  and  at  the  same  hour,  we  do  not 
see  how  he  could  have  used  language  more  to  the  pur- 
pose than  when  he  said,  "before  him  shall  be  gathered 
all  nations,  and  he  shall  separate  them  as  a  shepherd 
his  sheep  from  his  goats.  Then  shall  he  say  to  the  one, 
Come  ye  blessed  of  my  father,  and  to  the  other,  Depart 
ye  cursed."  To  say  that  this  was  a  judgment  simply 
of  nations  is  too  trifling  for  serious  consideration.  Na- 
tions are  never  welcomed  or  excluded  from  heaven  as 
nations.  It  will  never  be  said  of  them,  "these  shall  go 
away  into  everlasting  punishment,  but  the  righteous  into 
life  eternal."  We  are  to  stand  in  judgment  before  God 
as  individuals,  and  not  as  a  nation. 

In  order  to  make  the  incongruities  the  more  apparent, 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  109 

we  have  only  to  consider  the  different  judgments  they 
allow,  and  the  different  classes  to  be  judged.  The  dif- 
ferent judgments  are — 

1,  Of  the  righteous  at  the  rapture. 

2,Of  the  living  described  in  Matthew  xxv.,  at  the 
Revelation. 

3,  Of  the  wicked  at  the  last  day. 

The  classes,  according  to  the  theory,  to  be  judged  are: 

1.  The  pious  living  and  dead  at  the  rapture. 

2.  The  pious  living  at  the  time  of  the  revelation. 

3.  The  pious  dead  during  the  tribulation. 

4.  The  living,  good  and  bad,  at  the  judgment  of  the 
nations. 

5.  The  pious  living  during  and  after  the  Millennium. 

6.  The  pious  dead  during  and  after  the  Millennium. 

7.  The  wicked  at  the  judgment  at  the  last  day. 
Here,  then,  are  seven  distinct  classes.    Let  us  see  what 

provision  their  theory  makes  for  their  judgment.  They 
tell  us  of  two  visible  judgment  thrones,  and  two  visible 
judgment  scenes.  One  is  to  judge  the  nations,  namely, 
all  the  living,  good  and  bad,  recorded  in  Matthew  xxv. 
31-46,  and  the  other,  the  great  white  throne,  at  the  last 
day,  before  which  all  the  wicked  dead  are  then  to  appear, 
and  no  one  else;  "wicked  sinners,"  as  Dr.  Seiss  ex- 
presses it. 

A  mere  glance  is  enough  to  show  the  classes  neces- 
sarily omitted  in  this  scheme. 

(1),  The  living  and  dead  to  be  taken  up  at  the  rapture; 
when  are  they  judged?  (2),  Then  the  tribulation  saints; 
when  are  they  judged?  (3),  And  the  resurrected 
martyrs,  when  are  they  judged?  (4),  So  the  pious  liv- 
ing and  dead,  during  and  after  the  Millennium ;  are  these 
all  to  escape?     (5),  And  lastly,  the  wicked  living  at  the 


no  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

time  of  the  last  judgment;  for,  according  to  their  theory, 
only  the  wicked  dead  are  to  be  then  judged. 

Thus  this  theory  of  only  two  judgments,  one  for  the 
living  and  one  for  the  dead,  falls,  self-impaled,  like 
Saul  upon  his  own  sword,  as  it  makes  no  provision  what- 
ever for  the  judgment  of  any  of  the  dead  saints  at  the 
rapture,  the  tribulation,  or  final  judgment;  nor  yet  for 
any  living  wicked  that  might  be  living  at  the  time  of  the 
last  judgment. 

And  not  only  does  it  make  no  provision  for  these  sev- 
eral classes,  but  also  makes  a  distinction  that  is  wholly 
unaccountable;  for  the  question  at  once  springs  up  in 
every  thoughtful  mind,  why  this  discrimination?  Why 
this  judgment  at  the  revelation,  and  not  at  the  rapture? 
Why  this  judgment  of  only  the  then  living  and  not  the 
dead,  at  the  judgment  of  the  nations,  in  Matthew  xxv.  ? 
And  this  judging  only  the  dead,  and  not  the  living,  at 
the  last  day?  And  why  this  double  judgment,  one  in 
Matthew  xxv.  and  one  in  Revelation  xx.  ?  And  this 
difference,  a  part  of  the  righteous  judged  secretly  and 
a  part  openly  ? — a  part  of  the  wicked  now,  and  a  part  not 
at  all?  Why  in  advance,  formally  and  openly,  send  a 
part  of  the  wicked  to  perdition,  when  the  same  sentence 
of  exclusion  is  again  to  be  formally  pronounced  against 
the  remaining  wicked,  at  the  last  day?  We  must  con- 
fess these  things  seem  to  us  a  little  confusing. 

To  meet  all  the  exigencies  of  the  case,  Dr.  Seiss  has 
found  it  necessary  to  deny  altogether  the  existence  of 
any  formal  judgment  in  the  case  of  the  righteous. 
"Christ  never  mounts  the  throne  of  judgment  towards 
his  church  and  people,"  says  he  (Vol.  III.,  326),  "the 
judgment  being  the  result  of  antecedent  judgment." 
(Vol.   TT.,  325.)     But  when  this  antecedent  judgment? 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  in 

He  fails  to  tell  us.  If  at  all,  it  must  have  been  in  pri- 
vate, or  secret.  But  how  is  this  assertion  to  be  recon- 
ciled with  the  saying  of  the  Master,  that  the  righteous,  as 
well  as  the  wicked,  shall  stand  before  him;  or  that  of 
Paul,  "For  we  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment  seat 
of  Christ,"  must  be  left  with  him  to  explain. 

To  us  he  seems  to  be  confounding  two  things  entirely 
different,  namely,  the  judgment  of  condemnation,  and 
that  of  awards.  If  by  judgment  he  means  acquittal 
from  condemnation,  we  are  in  hearty  accord  with  him. 
But  this  is  not  the  point  before  us.  The  point  we  are 
considering  is  the  formal  judgment  which  precedes  the 
awards,  which  is  quite  another  thing,  and  is  everywhere 
insisted  on  in  the  scriptures,  which  none  shall  escape, 
not  the  angels,  nor  yet  even  the  devils  in  hell,  for  they 
are  reserved  in  chains  of  darkness  for  the  judgment  of 
the  great  day. 

On  the  other  hand,  W.  E.  B.  would  avoid  the  dif- 
ficulty by  making  the  day  of  judgment  an  indefinite 
period,  "and  not  a  day  of  twenty-four  hours."  (P.  6j.) 
But  this  brings  no  relief.  The  thing  that  concerns  us  is, 
not  the  continuation,  but  the  number  of  judgments.  A 
court  may  run  through  a  long  time,  and  yet  be  the  same 
court.  The  problem  before  the  premillennialist  is  simply 
this:  how  can  his  assertion  about  two  judgments  sit- 
ting on  two  different  occasions,  for  different  purposes, 
and  a  thousand  and  more  years  apart,  one  to  judge  the 
living  nations,  and  the  other  to  judge  the  wicked  dead, 
be  made  to  agree  with  the  scripture  account  of  one  judg- 
ment? In  opposition  to  both  of  these  views,  we  place 
the  following  express  declarations  of  the  word  of  God: 
"Who  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his  appear- 
ing."   (2  Tim.  iv.  1.)    "And  before  him  shall  be  gathered 


ii2  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

all  nations ;  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another, 
as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  his  goats."  (Matt. 
xxv.  32.)  "Because  he  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  which 
he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness."  (Acts  xvii. 
31.)  "For  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in 
the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth; 
they  that  have  done  good  unto  the  resurrection  of  life, 
and  they  that  have  done  evil  unto  the  resurrection  of 
damnation."  (John  v.  28,  29.)  "Reserved  in  everlasting 
chains  under  darkness,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day."  (Jude.  6.)  And  leave  with  them  the  problem  of 
harmonizing  their  theory  of  a  double  judgment  with 
these  express  statements  of  the  word  of  God. 

Then  it  might  be  interesting  to  inquire  what  would  be 
the  status  of  these  glorified  saints,  the  fruits  of  this 
judgment  of  the  nations  as  they  term  it.  They  are  not 
the  ingathering,  for  that,  as  they  say,  is  already  com- 
pleted at  the  rapture;  nor  the  gleanings,  for  these  are 
the  tribulation  saints,  as  they  declare.  Will  they  be  in- 
cluded with  the  martyrs,  and  reign  too  with  the  Saviour? 
t)r  is  it  intended  that  special  honor  be  thus  put  upon 
them,  inasmuch  as  they  should  thus  be  openly  recognized 
as  inheritors  of  the  kingdom,  and  invited  to  enter  therein, 
and  thus  made  superior  to  others,  and  made  to  sit  upon 
his  throne,  and  to  judge  at  last  the  pious  dead  as  well  as 
the  wicked?  And  thus  have  one-half  of  the  saints  sit- 
ting in  judgment  upon,  and  lording  it  over  the  other 
half?  Where  do  we  find  any  such  teaching  in  the 
scriptures?  Why  put  such  honor,  and  confer  such  spe- 
cial prerogatives  upon  the  one,  and  rjlace  such  seeming 
humiliation  upon  the  other?  On  the  other  hand,  the 
scriptures  everywhere,  as  a  rebuke  alike  to  the  sordid 
spirit  of  Diotrephes  and  the  ambitious  aspirations  of  the 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  113 

sons  of  Zebedee,  teach  that  the  same  rules  of  judgment 
will  apply  alike  to  all,  and  that  even  the  living  shall  not 
prevent,  or  anticipate,  or  get  any  advantage  of  the  dead. 

III.  Number  of  Resurrections. 

The  same  incongruities  exist  in  connection  with  the 
resurrection.  They  speak  of  only  two  resurrections ; 
one  of  the  righteous,  and  one  of  the  wicked ;  but  their 
theory  clearly  demands  more  than  that.  The  following 
is  the  enumeration  we  make: 

1,  Of  the  righteous,  when  Christ  comes  at  the  rapture. 

2,  Of  the  tribulation  saints,  who  die  during  the  tribu- 
lation period,  termed  by  them  "the  gleanings." 

3,  The  rest  of  the  dead,  at  the  close  of  the  thousand 
years. 

4,  The  last  resurrection  of  the  dead,  at  the  last  judg- 
ment. 

5,  Dr.  Seiss  asserts  that  there  was  a  resurrection  of  the 
righteous  even  before  John's  day;  for  he  interprets  the 
elders  in  the  first  vision  as  the  first  risen  saints.  This 
will  make  another  class. 

6,  Then  the  righteous  people  who  died  during  and 
after  the  thousand  years.  So  here  is  another  resurrection 
of  the  righteous,  making  six  in  all,  whereas  they  say 
only  two. 

To  reconcile  all  this  they  claim  that  the  wicked  are 
raised  up  all  at  once  at  the  last  day;  and  that  the  resur- 
rection of  the  righteous  will  be  at  different  times,  as  Dr. 
Seiss  affirms  is  to  be  understood  as  one,  in  the  sense  that 
these  different  resurrections  are  all  included  under  one, 
and  that  the  first  resurrection,  spoken  of  in  Revelation 
xx.  5,  covers  the  whole  field,  and  includes  all  the  saints 


ii4  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

arisen  at  different  times,  from  John's  vision  of  the  elders 
till  after  the  martyrs.  But  why  stop  with  the  martyrs? 
Why  not  include  all  who  lived  during  and  after  the  Mil- 
lennium, and  thus  make  it  one  continuous  resurrection, 
that  it  may  meet  all  the  demands  of  their  theory? 

Now  we  submit,  whether  this  interpretation  does  not 
violate  every  law  of  speech?  How  can  six  be  made  to 
mean  one?  Where  is  the  scripture  warrant  for  such  a 
computation?  The  common  reader,  when  he  reads  about 
the  resurrection,  thinks  of  but  one.  When  the  Saviour 
said,  "In  the  resurrection  they  neither  marry  nor  give  in 
marriage,"  he  thinks  of  but  one.  Again,  when  he  said, 
"I  will  raise  him  at  the  last  day,"  the  simple-minded 
reader  would  understand  just  what  is  said,  the  last  day, 
and  not  a  day  before  or  after.  The  resurrection  is 
everywhere  spoken  of  as  a  common  event.  The  word, 
like  the  term  "Judgment,"  is  always  in  the  singular, 
never  in  the  plural ;  never  resurrections.  If  it  were  the 
intention  of  the  sacred  writers  to  say  that  there  was  but 
one  common  resurrection,  how  else  could  they  express 
themselves?  Why,  then,  did  the  Holy  Spirit  use  lan- 
guage so  calculated  to  mislead?  And  why  did  the 
Saviour,  the  great  teacher,  not  correct  the  error?  There 
was  a  notion  of  a  common  and  general  resurrection  in 
his  day.  Hence  the  language  of  Martha,  "I  know  he  will 
rise  in  the  resurrection  at  the  last  day."  (John  xi.  24.) 
Not  at  the  rapture,  or  the  revelation,  or  end  of  the  age, 
but  the  last  day.  How,  then,  account  for  his  not  correct- 
ing this,  as  he  did  every  other  abuse  of  misinterpreted 
law,  and  that,  too,  when  discoursing  upon  that  very  sub- 
ject? With  him  not  to  correct  was  simply  to  endorse. 
His  very  silence  fixes  the  common  interpretation  as  the 
correct  one. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  115 

The  theory  of  two  resurrections,  one  for  the  righteous 
and  the  other  for  the  wicked,  one  at  the  rapture  and  the 
other  at  the  end  of  the  world,  is  further  confronted  with 
the  following  serious  and  insurmountable  difficulties. 

1,  It  directly  conflicts  zvith  the  scripture  teaching  as 
to  the  time  set  for  the  destruction  of  death.  Paul  de- 
clares that  the  "last  enemy  to  be  destroyed  is  death," 
which  places  it  beyond  the  battlefield  of  Gog  and  Magog. 
John  states  that  the  destruction  will  not  be  till  after  the 
last  great  judgment,  when  death  is  to  be  cast  "into  the 
lake  of  fire."  If  there  is  to  be  no  Resurrection  after  the 
rapture,  then  no  death ;  and  if  no  death,  then  here  comes 
the  irreconcilable  disagreement  between  their  theory  and 
the  teachings  of  the  apostles.  Paul  teaches  that  the  de- 
struction will  be  at  the  resurrection,  whenever  that  is  to 
be.  (1  Cor.  xv.  54.)  They  say  the  resurrection  will  be 
at  the  rapture ;  if  so,  death  will  be  destroyed  at  the  rap- 
ture; and  yet  John  says,  not  till  after  the  last  judgment! 
How  reconcile  the  two?  How  destroyed  both  at  the 
resurrection  and  after  the  last  judgment,  unless  the  resur- 
rection be  in  close  conjunction  with  the  final  judgment? 

Number  of  Resurrections. 

2,  It  makes  no  provision  for  the  resurrection  of  the 
righteouszvho  live  during  and  after  the  Millennium.  That 
there  will  be  such  no  one  will  deny.  The  very  idea  of 
Millennium  is  that  of  triumph.  The  binding  of  Satan 
warrants  the  same  conclusion.  If  there  be  righteous  dur- 
ing that  period,  they  must  die,  and  if  they  die,  they  must 
be  raised  up.  But  how,  since  the  "last  trump"  has  al- 
ready sounded,  the  last  resurrection   accomplished,   and 


n6  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

Christ  already  come  for  and  with  his  saints?1  Their 
theory  obviously  requires  another  and  after  sounding  of 
the  trumpet,  and  another  and  after  resurrection  of  the 
dead.  If  another  resurrection  be  necessary  to  reach  the 
postmillennial  saints,  then  what  becomes  of  their  theory 
that  none  but  the  wicked  are  raised  up  at  the  last  day? 
Dr.  Rutledge  admits  a  resurrection  during  that  period, 
but  says  the  number  will  be  "innnitessimally  small."  But 
how  does  the  smallness  of  the  number  affect  the  argu- 
ment? To  admit  the  resurrection  of  any  is  but  to  sur- 
render the  whole  scheme.  He  also  terms  this  a  "supple- 
mentary resurrection" ;  but  Paul  says  nothing  about  a 
supplementary  resurrection,  either  in  I  Corinthians  xv. 
or  i  Thessalonians  iv.,  where  he  handles  the  subjects  so 
exhaustively  and  concludingly.  Dr.  Seiss,  seeing  the  dif- 
ficulty, asserts  that  none  but  the  wicked  will  then  die ; 
and  further,  to  relieve  the  situation,  suggests  the  possi- 
bility of  secret  invisible  translations,  as  in  the  case  of 
Enoch  and  Elijah.  He  speaks  of  death  not  as  death, 
but  as  a  "stealthy  ereption,"  invisible  to  the  world  at 
large.  (Pref.  Vol.  III.)  Believers  are  not  to  die,  but  are 
"stealthily  erepted,"  snatched  up;  and  this  ereption  in- 
visible and  also  inaudible,  though  accompanied  with  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet!  all  of  which  will  require  a  stand- 
ing miracle,  or  else  a  change  in  the  very  constitution  and 
course  of  nature,  of  which  the  scriptures   say  nothing. 


5The  Greek  is  very  striking  and  unanswerable,  ev  rr/  avavranel 
ev  zfj  eoyarr)  rip.epa.  The  article  'nj  makes  it  the  resurrection; 
and  there  is  no  preposition  ex  out  of,  to  make  it  mean  out  of,  or 
from  among  ihe  dead,  so  much  insisted  on  by  W.  E.  B.  Nor  yet 
is  the  word  acatv  ^ge>  DUt>  n/xepa  at  the  last  day.  Martha  was 
clearly  speaking  of  the  common  resurrection  at  the  last  day. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  117 

To   what  great   straits   premillennialists   are   reduced   to 
maintain  their  theory ! 

3,  A  third  difficulty  is  the  living  wicked  at  the  end  of 
the  world.  They  interpret  the  description  of  the  last 
judgment  literally,  and  make  "dead,"  mean  dead  and 
nothing  else,  and  therefore  the  wicked  dead.  But  what 
about  the  living  wicked  at  the  time?  How  place  the  liv- 
ing in  the  category  of  the  dead  ?  Are  they  all  to  be  slain, 
that  they  may  then  be  raised  up?  To  restrict  the  final 
judgment  to  the  dead  is  completely  to  ignore  the  exist- 
ence of  any  living  wicked  at  that  time ;  and  if  not,  either 
require  their  slaying,  or  else  to  allow  them  to  escape  the 
judgment  altogether.  If  the  living  wicked  are  included 
in  that  judgment,  so  may  the  living  righteous;  and  if  the 
living  righteous,  then  their  interpretation  fails.  The 
theory,  then,  is  confronted  with  this  fatal  alternative, 
either  to  deny  the  existence  of  any  living  wicked  at  the 
time,  or  else  admit  the  judgment  of  all,  both  living  and 
dead,  righteous  as  well  as  wicked. 

4,  There  is  another  and  still  more  serious  difficulty  con- 
fronting the  theory,  and  that  is  the  great  chasm  that 
separates  the  Millennium  and  the  last  judgment.  The 
continuance  of  the  present  order  of  things  after  the  Mil- 
lennium will  necessitate  death  and  resurrection.  In  order 
to  avoid  the  difficulty  growing  out  of  that  continuance, 
premillennialists  are  compelled  wonderfully  to  shorten 
the  time  between  the  thousand  years  and  the  last  judg- 
ment, and  even  find  it  necessary  to  place  the  final  judg- 
ment at  the  end  of  the  Millennium,  and  allowing  little 
or  no  time  to  intervene.  But  have  they  forgotten  that 
Satan  is  again  to  be  turned  loose  for  a  season,  and  that 
the  nations  of  the  earth  are  again  to  be  deceived  by 
him  ?    Have  they  forgotten  that  he  is  to  gather  his  forces 


n8  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

from  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  and  in  number,  "as 
the  sands  of  the  sea,"  and  thus  prepare  for  the  great  and 
final  struggle  of  Gog  and  Magog?  All  of  which  will  re- 
quire time;  how  much  we  are  not  told.  The  expression, 
"little  season,"  determines  nothing.  The  Saviour  said, 
"Things  shortly  to  come  to  pass,"  and  yet  eighteen  centu- 
ries have  glided  by,  and  none  of  them,  as  they  affirm,  are 
yet  accomplished.  The  evolution  of  God's  plans  is  always 
slow.  He  can  be  patient  because  eternal,  as  Augustine 
expresses  it.  For  aught  we  know  ages  may  intervene; 
and  reasonably  so,  even  an  hebdomad  of  Millennial  peri- 
ods; thus  making  the  incoming  of  the  heavenly  rest  the 
final  jubilee.  Whether  long  or  short,  the  intervening 
period  will  require  death  and  resurrection,  unless  there 
be  a  change  in  the  constitution  and  course  of  nature. 
To  insist  upon  that  change  before  the  final  restitution  of 
all  things,  and  the  making  of  the  new  heavens  and  new 
earth,  seems  to  us  nothing  but  the  wildest  fancy,  without 
the  slightest  foundation  in  scripture. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  theory  of  a  double  resurrection 
and  double  judgment  is  beset  with  too  many  and  serious 
difficulties  and  entanglements  to  be  entertained  for  a 
single  moment. 

IV.  Revelation  xx.  4-6. 

A  consideration  of  the  main  scripture  upon  which  the 
whole  premillennial  theory  rests  will  reveal  a  similar 
weakness.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  chief  and 
only  foundation  for  the  whole  scheme  is  the  three  short 
and  obscure  verses  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  a  book 
abounding  in  symbols  and  symbolic  imagery.  Take  these 
away,  and  the  chief  support  is  gone.  This  fact  is  alone 
sufficient  to  shake  our  confidence  in  the  scheme,  and  make 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  119 

us  hesitate  long  before  embracing  a  theory  beset  with  dif- 
ficulties.    These  verses  are  as  follows: 

"4.  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them ;  and  I 
saw  the  souls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness 
of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of  God,  and  which  had  not 
worshipped  the  beast,  neither  his  image,  neither  had  re- 
ceived his  mark  upon  their  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands ; 
and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years. 

"5.  But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again  until  the 
thousand  years  were  finished.  This  is  the  first  resur- 
rection. 

"6.  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first 
resurrection :  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no  power ; 
but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall 
reign  with  him  a  thousand  years." 

Whatever  else  the  meaning  of  these  words  may  be,  we 
cannot  see  where  they  teach  the  personal  advent  of  the 
Lord  to  this  earth.  There  is  not  a  single  word  on  that 
subject;  "nothing  of  the  Messiah's  reign  on  earth,"  as 
Professor  Stuart  affirms ;  nothing  is  said  about  his  com- 
ing to  this  earth,  or  his  reigning  on  earth ;  not  one  word 
concerning  the  removal  of  his  throne  from  heaven,  and 
its  re-establishment  upon  earth. 

We  must  not  confound  the  words  "reign  on  earth"  in 
Chapter  v.  10  with  what  is  here  said.  That  was  a  dif- 
ferent scene  and  a  different  occasion.  That  was  before 
the  rapture ;  this  after  the  revelation.  That  was  the  say- 
ing of  the  four  and  twenty  elders  and  four  living 
creatures,  representatives  of  all  the  redeemed  in  heaven 
and  earth;  this  simply  of  the  martyrs,  who  had  been  be- 
headed, and  who  had  not  been  defiled  with  the  beast. 
The  description  and  attendent  circumstances  are  entirely 
too  different  to  make  them  the  same.     That  the  saints 


120  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

are  to  reign  on  earth  we  doubt  not,  as  we  believe  this  to 
be  their  future  abode,  as  all  other  worlds  the  home  of 
their  several  inhabitants ;  but  that  will  be  an  eternal  reign, 
and  after  the  final  judgment,  something  grander  and  far 
more  glorious  than  a  mere  Millennial  reign. 

You  will  notice,  too,  the  peculiarity  of  the  language 
in  these  verses.  It  is  not  such  as  we  would  expect  in  a 
simple  rehearsal  of  facts.  It  forms  part  of  a  vision,  and 
we  see  no  reason  why  we  may  not  receive  this,  as  other 
apocalyptic  scenes,  more  as  a  picture  than  a  reality,  and 
therefore  to  be  interpreted  symbolically. 

In  the  vision  herein  mentioned,  John  tells  us  what  he 
saw.  He  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and 
judgment  given  them,  but  does  not  tell  us  where  those 
thrones  were  located,  whether  in  heaven  or  in  earth; 
nor  who  sat  upon  them,  whether  angels,  apostles  or  men ; 
nor  the  character  of  the  judgment,  whether  favorable  or 
adverse.    All  here  must  be  inferential. 

Moreover,  he  tells  us  that  he  saw  souls,  and  whose 
souls  they  were ;  namely,  of  them  that  had  been  beheaded ; 
but  says  nothing  about  bodies.  The  gloss  that  souls 
stand  for  persons,  as  the  seventy  souls  in  the  house  of 
Jacob,  and  the  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  souls  with 
Paul  in  the  ship,  stand  for  so  many  persons,  is  wholly 
inadmissible.  If  he  had  simply  said  souls,  without  any 
qualifying  word,  the  explanation  might  stand.  But 
"souls  of  beheaded  people"  would  hardly  mean  the  peo- 
ple themselves  any  more  than  the  head  or  limbs  of  be- 
headed people  would  mean  the  living  people.  No  one 
thinks  of  resurrected  martyrs  in  the  vision  in  the  fifth 
seal,  where  John  saw  the  souls  of  them  that  had  been 
slain.  The  very  interrogation,  "How  long,  O  Lord?" 
shows  they  were  still  in  a  disembodied  state.     If  souls 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  121 

there,  why  not  souls  here?  The  qualifying  words  "Of 
those  beheaded"  show  that  only  a  part  of  the  persons  was 
seen,  and  that  part,  their  souls.  Wherein,  then,  comes 
the  idea  of  a  resurrection? 

Admit  that  the  expression  means  the  persons,  and  the 
question  at  once  comes  up,  who  were  those  persons  ?  You 
will  notice  not  a  word  is  said  about  any  saints,  only 
martyrs.  Where,  then,  is  the  authority  for  saying  that 
all  the  sainted  dead  were  raised,  as  premillennialists  af- 
firm ?  To  make  the  expression,  "Of  the  beheaded,"  mean 
not  only  the  martyrs,  but  all  the  sainted  dead,  is  a  strange 
abuse  of  terms.  Indeed,  a  strict  and  literal  construction 
would  not  only  confine  it  to  martyrs,  but  to  those  of  a 
particular  class — only  those  who  were  beheaded,  and  not 
those  stoned,  or  sawn  asunder,  or  put  to  death  in  any 
other  way;  and  not  only  those  who  had  been  beheaded, 
but  only  those  beheaded  on  account  of  their  testimony 
for  Jesus,  in  not  "worshipping  the  beast,"  these  last 
words  representing  not  so  much  a  different  class  as  a 
different  characteristic  of  the  same  class;  thus  limiting 
it  to  martyrs  after  the  rapture ;  since,  according  to  their 
theory,  the  beast  is  not  to  appear  till  after  that  event; 
and  therefore  only  the  few  who  were  beheaded  after  the 
rise  of  the  beast,  and  during  the  tribulation  period,  were 
declared  fit  to  reign  with  Christ  on  earth.  According  to 
this,  not  one  of  all  the  martyrs  of  the  Old  Testament, 
nor  of  New  Testament  times ;  neither  Isaiah,  nor  Stephen, 
nor  James,  nor  any  of  the  thousand  martyrs  up  to  the 
time  of  the  Saviour's  first  coming  at  the  rapture,  will  be 
there,  for  only  the  martyrs  raised  after  the  appearance  of 
the  beast  were  the  ones  John  saw  sitting  upon  thrones. 
The  premillennialist  must  either  change  the  time  of  the 
appearing  of  the  beast,  or  make  it  antedate  the  time  of  the 


122  HAND-BOOK  OF   PROPHECY. 

rapture ;  or  else  make  the  words,  "the  souls  of  them  that 
were  beheaded  for  the  witness,  and  for  the  word  of  God, 
and  which  had  not  worshipped  the  beast,"  mean,  not 
only  all  the  sainted  dead,  but  also  all  the  saints  then  and 
now  living,  and  all  saints  and  martyrs  yet  to  come, 
neither  of  which  would  be  allowable  by  his  theory. 

Then  concerning  this  reigning  "on  earth."  We  re- 
peat, by  way  of  emphasis,  that  the  interjecting  of  these 
words  is  entirely  gratuitous,  not  being  in  the  copy.  No 
torture  of  language  can  make  the  words,  "reign  with 
the  Lord,"  mean  reign  on  earth.  Dr.  Rutledge  says, 
"Reign  in  heaven,  but  over  earth."  The  very  fact  that 
they  were  to  reign  with  him  determines  the  position  of 
the  throne.  That  throne  was  in  heaven,  for  John  saw  it 
there  at  the  commencement  of  his  vision ;  and  if  in  heaven 
at  the  first  of  the  vision,  and  no  account  of  its  removal, 
and  if  Jesus  be  there,  and  if  the  souls  of  the  martyrs  be 
there,  as  well  as  all  the  souls  of  all  the  sainted  dead,  then 
the  proper  place  for  these  martyrs  to  reign  with  him,  if  at 
all,  would  seem  to  be  in  heaven,  and  not  on  earth.  This 
would  also  be  in  strict  accord  with  the  statement  of  the 
Master,  "If  I  come  again,  I  will  receive  you  to  myself, 
that  where  I  am  ye  may  be  also."  That  is,  ye  may  be 
with  me  where  I  am,  and  not  I  am  to  be  with  you  where 
you  are. 

If  there  be  one  word  in  the  above  verses  about  Christ 
coming  back  to  earth  after  he  has  once  taken  up  his  peo- 
ple to  himself,  or  raising  up  anybody  that  has  been  dead, 
we  have  utterly  failed  to  see  it. 

The  question  then  becomes  very  pertinent,  what  the 
meaning  of  the  phrases,  "the  first  resurrection"  and  "the 
rest  of  the  dead  not  living  again  until  the  end  of  the 
thousand  years"?    Is  there  no  implied  resurrection  here? 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  123 

We  answer,  Yes.  But  what  kind  of  a  resurrection? 
What,  and  who,  raised  up?  when  and  for  what  purpose? 
Concerning  this  resurrection  I  remark: 
J,  That  this  is  not  a  resurrection  from,  or  out  of,  the 
dead,  the  preposition  ( sx  )  being  wanting  in  the  Greek, 
and  therefore  a  different  species  of  resurrection  from  that 
which  they  so  much  insist  upon,  to  prove  the  antedating 
of  one  resurrection  before  the  other. 

2,  The  use  of  the  word  (  £<*«r)  to  live,  instead  of 
(  avtffirjfxt  )  to  resurrect,  likewise  raises  a  doubt  as  to  the 
literalness  of  the  resurrection;  the  meaning  seeming 
rather  to  be  more  of  a  continued  and  flourishing  life 
than  a  coming  to  life  again,  the  one  class  living  and  flour- 
ishing, and  the  other  not  living  and  flourishing  till  after 
the  thousand  years. 

3,  The  expression,  "rest  of  the  dead"  (not  of  those 
yet  to  die),  must  mean  either  the  rest  of  the  righteous 
dead,  beside  the  martyrs,  or  else  the  wicked  dead.  If 
the  rest  of  the  righteous,  then,  as  they  are  to  live  at  the 
end  of  the  thousand  years,  there  must  be  two  resurrec- 
tions of  the  righteous,  of  which  the  scriptures  say 
nothing,  and  which  the  premillennialists  themselves  deny. 
So,  if  it  means  the  wicked  at  the  time  of  the  Millennium, 
that  would  likewise  make  two  resurrections  of  the  wicked, 
one  at  the  end  of  the  thousand  years,  and  the  other  at  the 
final  judgment,  which  they  also  deny.  To  make  it  mean 
all  the  wicked  to  the  end  of  the  world  is  to  confound  the 
thousand  years  with  the  last  day,  for  which  there  is  no 
authority  in  the  scriptures,  the  final  restoration  clearly 
being  when  the  new  heavens  and  new  earth  shall  be  set 
up.  The  rest  of  the  dead,  then,  must  mean  the  wicked 
dead  at  the  time  of  the  raised  martyrs,  and  not  those  yet 
to  die;  and  if  so,  they  are  the  ones  to  come  to  life  again 


124  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

at  the  end  of  the  thousand  years,  and  which  resurrection 
must  not  be  confounded  with  that  of  the  wicked  dead  at 
the  end  of  the  world. 

4,  Further,  as  there  are  but  two  classes  of  the  dead 
mentioned  in  the  preceding  portions  of  the  book,  namely, 
one  of  the  martyrs,  and  the  other  the  slain  enemies  men- 
tioned in  the  close  of  the  preceding  chapter,  these  must 
be  the  ores  to  come  to  life  again.  If  the  first  resurrection 
refers  to  the  former,  then  naturally  the  second  resurrec- 
tion would  likewise  refer  to  the  second  class,  namely,  the 
wicked  slain. 

5,  The  resurrection  is  to  be  followed  by  a  reign  which 
is  to  continue  only  a  thousand  years.  Why  this  limita- 
tion? There  is  absolutely  nothing  in  the  law  or  the  pro- 
phets, or  ceremonies,  or  teachings  of  the  Old  Testament, 
or  the  experience  of  believers,  to  explain  such  an  episode 
in  the  kingly  reign  of  Christ.  The  interpretation  is  con- 
trary to  all  analogy.  Scriptural  analogy  teaches  a  Millen- 
nium of  rest,  and  not  of  rule.  Besides,  how  reconcile  this 
idea  of  a  limited  reign  with  the  common  teaching,  that  we 
are  to  reign  forever  with  Christ? 

6,  Then  over  whom  are  the  saints  to  reign?  The  lan- 
guage is  simply  "reign  with  Christ."  But  Christ  reigns 
over  nature — over  mind  and  matter — over  devils — over 
saints — over  the  wicked.  Are  we  to  understand  that  the 
resurrected  martyrs  are  to  rule  over  all  these,  and  that 
only  for  a  thousand  years? — and  that,  too,  with  a  rod  of 
iron,  with  the  greatest  severity?  Surely  the  interpretation 
is  beset  with  unending  entanglements. 

7,  If  the  verses  above  considered,  singly  and  alone,  say 
nothing  about  Christ  coming  back  a  second  time  to  reign 
on  earth,  and  nothing  about  the  bodies  of  martyrs  being 
raised  up,  and  nothing  about  the  fate  of  those  raised  to 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  125 

life  at  the  end  of  the  thousand  years,  this  resurrection 
not  being  confounded  with  that  at  the  end  of  the  world, 
we  must  seek  another  interpretation  than  that  given  by 
premillennialists ;  and  we  are  thus  forced  to  construe  the 
language  figuratively,  and,  like  the  rest  of  the  book, 
make  the  resurrection  a  resurrection  of  the  martyr  spirit ; 
and  as  Elias  was  raised  and  lived  in  John  the  Baptist, 
who  had  come  in  his  spirit  and  power;  as  the  beast  that 
was  wounded  was  said  to  live  in  his  successor ;  as  the 
two  witnesses  who  had  been  slain  lived  again  in  those 
who  followed  them ;  and  as  Huss  and  Jerome  were  said 
by  Pope  Adrian  to  be  living  in  the  person  of  Martin 
Luther,  so  the  dead  martyrs  could  well  be  said  to  be 
alive,  and  live  in  those  who  should  come  after.  And 
what  is  true  of  the  martyred  dead  would  also  be  true  of 
the  "rest  of  the  dead,"  or  wicked  dead ;  they,  too,  would 
come  to  life,  and  live  in  the  persons  of  the  wicked  who 
were  to  live  after  the  thousand  years. 

The  interpretation,  then,  would  be  that,  with  the  re- 
straining of  Satan's  power,  the  spirit  of  the  martyrs 
would  return  and  be  honored,  hence  represented  as  reign- 
ing upon  thrones,  and  thus  described  as  "blessed,"  and 
holy ;  and  that,  after  the  thousand  years,  with  the  loosing 
of  Satan,  the  former  spirit  of  worldiness  would  return 
and  live  again,  to  dominate  the  world  for  a  while ;  the 
return  of  the  martyr  spirit  being  denominated  "the  first 
resurrection,"  in  contradistinction  to  the  return  of  the 
opposite  spirit,  which  would  be  trie  second  resurrection. 

We  understand,  then,  the  whole  passage  to  teach  that 
there  is  to  be  a  literal  chiliad  of  righteousness  and  peace. 
We  interpret  the  thousand  years  literally ;  for  there  seems 
to  be  a  different  nomenclature  used  in  prophetic  count 
from  that  of  common  years.     Prophetic  years  are  given 


126  HAND-BOOK  OF   PROPHECY. 

in  symbols,  as  so  many  months,  weeks,  days,  and  hours. 
"Seventy  weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people."  "Forty- 
two  months,"  the  time  of  the  beast's  reign.  So  "time, 
times  and  a  half  time"  the  period  of  the  woman  in  the 
wilderness.     As  the  outspoken  number  666  is  to  be  un- 

\  derstood  literally,  so  here  we  interpret  the  thousand  years 
literally.  Elliott  well  remarks,  no  scheme  of  prophecy  but 
has  a  commingling  of  the  natural  and  figurative.  Our 
understanding,  therefore,  is,  that  there  is  to  be  a  glorious 
time  ahead  of  the  church,  even  here  on  earth,  set  forth 
under  the  sabbatic  year  of  old,  and  to  precede  the  final 
jubilee  of  heaven,  and  heralded  in  the  prophetic  an- 
nouncement of  the  little  stone  filling  the  whole  earth,  and 
the  leaven  leavening  the  whole  mass,  a  time  foretold  in 
glowing  strains  by  the  old  prophets.  Not  that  every- 
body will  be  converted  and  become  true  believers ;  for  the 
wheat  and  tares  are  to  grow  together  to  the  end ;  the 
same  appearing  in  the  admixture  of  good  and  evil  in  the 
seven  churches ;  but  simply  that  all  organized  opposition 
will   be   done   away  with,   the   principles   of  the   gospel 

>  being  in  the  ascendency.  The  church  shall  dominate 
the  world  by  the  dissemination  of  her  principles,  and 
Christ  recognized  as  supreme.  After  the  thousand  years 
Satan  shall  again  be  loosed  for  a  season,  and  the  world 
again  be  corrupt.  How  long,  we  know  not.  Hence  the 
Master's  words,  "When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  will 
he  find  faith  upon  the  earth"?  "As  in  the  days  of  NoaTi, 
they  were  eating  and  drinking  ....  so  shall  it  be  at  the 
end  of  the  world."  And  then,  in  his  own  time,  for  of 
that  day  and  hour  no  man  knoweth,  the  Lord  shall  come 
in  power  and  great  glory,  to  wind  up  the  affairs  of  this 
world,  and  give  to  every  man  as  his  work  shall  be. 
The  interpretation  we  here  offer  of  this  difficult  pas- 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  127 

sage  is  the  one  usually  held,  and,  in  the  main,  the  one  held 
by  postmillennarians.  To  the  writer  it  appears  the  most 
rational,  and  in  accord  with  the  symbolistic  character  of 
the  book,  and  other  portions  of  the  scriptures.  Whether 
this  be  the  correct  one  or  not,  we  do  not  see  how  it  is 
possible  to  bear  the  construction  put  upon  it  by  the  pre- 
millennialist. 

Having  pointed  out  some  of  the  glaring  contradictions 
and  inconsistencies  of  the  premillennial  theory,  its  utter 
want  of  coherence,  and  the  little  support  it  receives  from 
the  main  passage  upon  which  its  advocates  especially  re- 
ly, I  now  proceed  to  give  other  considerations  for  its  re- 
jection. 

V.  Other  Considerations. 

1,  It  directly  antagonizes  the  scripture  teachings  as  to 
the  time  of  the  second  coming.  We  have  clearly  been  put 
on  guard  against  the  delusive  notion  that  that  coming  was 
near  at  hand.  "Take  heed  that  no  man  deceive  you," 
says  the  Master.  "For  many  shall  come  in  my  name, 
saying,  I  am  Christ,  and  shall  deceive  many;  but  the 
end  is  not  yet."  (Matt.  xxiv.  4-6.)  So  Paul:  "That  ye 
be  not  soon  shaken  in  mind,  or  be  troubled,  neither  by 
spirit,  nor  by  word,  nor  by  letter,  as  from  us,  as  that 
the  day  of  Christ  is  at  hand."    (2  Thess.  ii.  2.) 

Three  things  are  declared  necessary  before  that  event. 
(1),  The  preaching  of  the  gospel  in  all  the  world,  for 
a  witness  unto  all  nations  (Matt.  xxiv.  14s).  (2),  The 
restoration  of  the  Jews,  with  the  bringing  in  of  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Gentiles  (Rom.  ii.  25).  (3).  The  falling 
away,  and  the  revelation  of  the  Man  of  Sin  (2  Thess.  ii. 
2),  neither  of  which  they  claim  as  yet  has  happpened.  It  is 
an  indisputable  fact,  that  the  majority  of  the  world  is  still 


128  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

in  the  depth  of  heathenish  darkness,  never  having  heard 
of  Christ.  We  see  as  yet  no  signs  of  the  fulness  of  the 
Gentiles  being  brought  in,  or  of  the  conversion  of  the 
Jews ;  and  according  to  their  own  theory,  the  Man  of  sin 
will  not  be  revealed  till  after  the  rapture.  With  what 
propriety,  then,  can  they  say  that  this  coming  is  immi- 
nent, and  urge  us  to  accept  their  statement  as  true,  that 
he  may  come  at  any  moment,  when  they  themselves  are 
compelled  to  admit  that  neither  of  these  necessary  things 
has  yet  happened?  To  say  that  all  these  things  will  oc- 
cur after  the  rapture,  and  before  the  revelation,  is  but  to 
assume  one  of  the  points  in  dispute,  that  he  can  come 
before  his  second  coming,  and  yet  can  come  but  once, 
which  we  stoutly  deny. 

For  further  confirmation  of  this  view,  we  have  only  to 
point  to  the  declaration  of  the  Apostle  Peter  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  "The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  sit  thou  on  my 
right  hand  until  I  make  thy  foes  thy  footstool."  (Acts 
ii.  34,  35.)  The  time  is  thus  definitely  fixed — till  his 
foes  are  all  made  his  footstool.  Are  his  foes  all  yet  sub- 
dued? So  in  Hebrew  x.  12,  13,  "But  this  man,  after  he 
had  offered  one  sacrififice  for  sins,  forever  sat  down  on 
the  right  hand  of  God ;  from  henceforth  expecting  till 
his  enemies  be  made  his  footstool."  Can  anything  be 
plainer  than  that  he  is  to  remain  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father  until  his  enemies  are  all  subdued,  which  will  not 
be  till  after  the  millennium?  Yet  in  the  face  of  all  this, 
we  are  told  that  his  coming  is  imminent,  and  we  may 
be  looking  for  him  at  any  moment ! 

2,  It  likezuise  antagonizes  the  general  teachings  of  the 
Scriptures  as  to  the  finished  character  of  the  Saviour's 
zvork  at  his  appearing.  The  appearing  and  the  judgment 
are  everywhere  closely  conjoined  in  the  Scriptures.    Pre- 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  129 

millennialists  divorce  this  union  by  interjecting  the  Mil- 
lennium between  the  two.  We  are  taught  that,  when  he 
comes,  he  will  come  to  wind  up  the  affairs  of  this  world. 
When  he  came  first,  he  came  to  set  aside  the  Jewish  dis- 
pensation, and  to  set  up  the  Christian ;  so  he  will  come 
again  to  set  aside  the  Christian  and  set  up  the  heavenly. 
In  connection  with  the  last  commission,  to  make  disciples 
of  all  nations,  is  the  promise,  "Lo  I  am  with  you  always, 
even  unto  che  end  of  the  world."  To  the  end  of  the 
world;  that  is,  till  he  shall  come  again,  clearly  implying 
that,  when  he  shall  come  again,  the  gospel  and  living 
ministry,  and  all  the  means  of  grace,  shall  cease ;  nothing 
being  said  about  any  other  gospel  or  other  means  or 
agencies.  The  present  order  of  things  is  to  continue  only 
until  he  comes.  The  theory  of  the  premillennialists  re- 
quires a  continuation  of  these  things  after  his  coming. 

So  also  with  regard  to  those  whom  he  is  to  bring  with 
him  at  his  coming.  He  is  to  bring  all  his  saints.  There 
are  to  be  no  additions  after  his  coming.  "Christ,  the  first 
fruits,  afterward  they  that  are  Christ's,  at  his  coming." 
The  church  will  then  be  complete.  The  Scriptures  say 
nothing  about  receiving  a  part  before  and  a  part  after  his 
coming.  He  is  to  bring  his  holy  angels  and  all  his  saints 
with  him,  to  be  admired,  not  by  a  part,  but  by  all.  No- 
body to  be  saved,  nobody  added,  after  he  comes.  Accord- 
ing to  premillennialism,  there  are  to  be  additions  of  the 
tribulation  saints  and  others  during  and  after  the  Mil- 
lennium. 

3,  It  antagonises  what  Peter  says  about  the  destruction 
of  the  world,  He  distinctly  asserts  that  that  destruction 
will  take  place  at  his  coming.  In  answering  the  question 
of  the  scoffers,  "Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming?" 
he  says,  "That  the  day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in 


130  HAND-BOOK  OF   PROPHECY. 

the  night,  in  which  the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a 
loud  noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent 
heat."  Peter  says  nothing  about  reigning  on  earth,  or 
waiting  a  thousand  years  before  this  destruction ;  but  the 
time  for  it  will  be  at  his  coming, — which  will  be  as  a 
thief  in  the  night, — on  the  day  in  which  he  comes,  and 
which  is  to  usher  in  the  new  heaven  and  new  earth,  in 
which  righteousness  is  to  dwell.  We  leave  it  with  the 
premillennialist  to  reconcile  their  teachings  with  these 
unequivocal  declarations  of  the  Apostle  Peter.  They 
must  either  flatly  contradict  the  apostle,  or  else  make  all 
this  refer  to  the  Millennium,  which  is  simply  to  confound 
the  Millennium  with  the  final  state  of  glory.  Which 
will  they  choose? 

4,  It  makes  an  unwarranted  distinction  betzveen  the 
church  and  the  kingdom,  and  asserts  that  that  kingdom 
%'ill  not  be  till  the  Millennium ;  whereas  the  scriptures 
everywhere  speak  of  the  kingdom  as  already  set  up,  and 
all  are  urged  to  press  into  it.  Daniel  clearly  tells  when 
the  kingdom  was  to  be  set  up :  not  later  than  the  fourth 
monarchy.  "In  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God 
of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom  which  shall  never  be  de- 
stroyed." (Dan.  ii.  44.)  The  time  for  the  setting  up  of 
that  kingdom  is  therefore  past.  To  say  it  is  yet  to  be  set 
up  is  to  contradict  Daniel. 

So  the  sayings  of  the  Saviour,  "There  hath  not  risen 
a  greater  than  John  the  Baptist;  notwithstanding,  he 
that  is  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than  he." 
(Matt.  xi.  it.)  "The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand." 
"The  kingdom  is  near  you,  even  within  you."  "Not  far 
from  the  kingdom."  "Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God. 
and  his  righteousness."  "There  be  some  standing  here, 
who  shall  not  taste  of  death  till  they  see  the  Son  of  Man 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  131 

coming  in  his  kingdom."  (Matt.  xvi.  28.)  All  of  these 
show  that  the  kingdom  was  near  at  hand,  even  in  touch 
with  the  people  of  that  generation,  and  therefore  already 
in  existence. 

We  presume  Paul  knew  what  he  was  saying  when  he 
said,  "Who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness, 
and  hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son." 
(Col.  i.  13.)  Also  John,  when  he  said,  "I,  John,  who  also 
am  your  brother  and  companion  in  tribulation,  and  in 
the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ."  Both  of 
these  saints,  while  in  life,  declared  they  were  already  in 
the  kingdom,  and  yet  we  are  told  that  that  kingdom  will 
not  be  set  up  till  the  Millennium ! 

In  the  second  Psalm  we  have  the  prophetic  announce- 
ment, "I  do  set  my  king  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion,"  and 
the  command  to  acknowledge  and  serve  him.  If  the 
kingdom  is  not  yet  set  up,  then  this  double  anomaly  pre- 
sents itself.  On  the  one  hand,  of  Christ  being  a  king,  so 
appointed  of  the  Father,  with  all  power  in  heaven  and 
earth,  and  authority  to  rule,  and  yet  no  kingdom  over 
which  to  rule.  On  the  other,  of  requiring  men  to  serve 
a  king  who  was  not  a  king,  thereby  absolving  from  all  ob- 
ligation to  own  allegiance  to  his  throne,  or  press  into  his 
kingdom,  until  it  shall  be  shown  that  that  kingdom  was 
fully  established.  The  theory  is  clearly  chargeable  with 
confounding  the  setting  up  of  the  kingdom  with  the  full 
establishment  and  recognition  of  it.  We  agree  with  them 
that  the  kingdom  is  not  yet  established,  in  the  sense  of 
full  recognition  on  earth  as  in  heaven ;  but  we  utterly  re- 
pudiate the  idea  that  it  is  not  yet  set  up.  For  if  it  be  not 
set  up  on  earth,  neither  in  heaven,  and  it"  not  in  heaven, 
then  what  means  that  exaltation  to  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  the  apocalyptic  song,  and  the  ascription  of  such 


132  HAND-BOOK  OF   PROPHECY. 

high  honor  and  glory  to  the  Son?  If  not  a  king  yet  on 
earth,  neither  indeed  can  he  yet  be  a  king  in  heaven. 
The  theory  of  the  premillennialist,  that  the  kingdom  will 
not  be  set  up  till  the  Millennium,  plays  sad  havoc  with  the 
old  theology  we  have  been  taught  from  childhood,  that 
Christ  executes  his  three  offices  of  prophet,  priest  and 
king  ''both  in  his  state  of  humiliation  and  exaltation." 
And  also  the  typical  teachings,  which  make  the  portion 
of  the  land  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  Jordan  typical  of 
the  part  of  the  kingdom  on  earth,  and  the  part  on  the 
west  side  typical  of  the  part  of  the  kingdom  in  heaven, 
the  Jordan  being  the  type  of  death,  and,  like  the  tribes  of 
old,  we  must  all  enter  the  one  before  entering  the  other. 
Clearly,  if  we  die  out  of  the  kingdom,  we  will  ever  con- 
tinue out.  So  says  the  type ;  for  how  seek  it  after  we  are 
dead? 

Then  notice  the  conflict  as  to  the  progressive  nature 
of  the  kingdom.  Daniel  speaks  of  it  at  first  as  "a  little 
stone,"  but  to  become  the  mountain  and  fill  the  earth. 
Their  theory  requires  that  the  kingdom  be  large  and  full- 
fledged  at  the  start.  The  Saviour  speaks  of  it  as  "little 
leaven" ;  that  is,  it  is  to  work  silently  and  gradually  till 
the  whole  mass  is  leavened.  But  they  give  us  to  under- 
stand that  the  kingdom  cometh  as  a  whirlwind,  with 
judgments  and  earthquakes,  and  even  mighty  convul- 
sions in  nature,  with  the  whole  constitution  and  course 
of  nature  changed,  and  changed  at  the  beginning  and  set- 
ting up  of  that  kingdom.  The  description  of  the  king- 
dom by  Daniel  and  the  Saviour,  and  the  account  of  it 
given  by  the  premillennialists,  both  as  to  time  and  pro- 
gress, are  wonderfully  divergent ! 

To  break  the  force  of  the  argument  from  the  expan- 
siveness  of  leaven,  premillennialists  take  the  leaven  in  the 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  133 

parable  to  represent  evil,  and  the  interpretation  they  give 
of  this  familiar  passage  is,  that  evil  in  the  church,  like 
leaven,  will  spread  till  it  corrupts  the  whole.  But  this 
seems  clearly  a  perversion;  for,  as  Alford  says,  "If  the 
progress  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  towards  corrup- 
tion, till  the  whole  is  corrupted,  surely  there  is  an  end  of 
all  the  blessings  and  healing  influence  of  the  gospel  on 
the  world."  (Com.  in  Loc.)  Trench  gives  the  common, 
and  common-sense  view,  when  he  says,  "We  cannot  con- 
sider these  words,  'till  the  zvhole  be  leavened/  as  less 
than  a  prophecy  of  a  final  complete  triumph  of  Christi- 
anity ;  that  it  will  diffuse  itself  through  all  nations,  and 
purify  and  ennoble  all  life."     (Par.,  p.  101.) 

5,  It  robs  prophecy  of  its  witnessing  power,  by  placing 
the  whole  of  it  in  the  future.  If  the  prophecy  be  not  pre- 
dictive, as  Professor  Milligan  asserts,  p.  188,  and  as  Dr. 
Ramsay  assumes  as  the  basis  of  his  interpretation,  in  his 
"Spiritual  Kingdom" ;  and  these  things  be  not  fulfilled  till 
after  his  coming,  then  there  will  be  no  special  necessity 
for  them  at  all.  Neither  can  we  understand  why  such 
minute  descriptions  of  things  in  such  unintelligible  lan- 
guage, if  all  be  in  the  future.  If  no  part  is  to  be  fulfilled 
till  he  comes,  the  prophecy  would  mean  no  more  than  this : 
that  Jesus  is  coming,  and  just  wait  till  he  comes,  and  he 
will  tell  us  in  plain  words  what  he  is  now  saying  in  unin- 
telligible symbols.  Professor  Stuart,  as  it  seems  to  us, 
strikes  the  keynote  when  he  says,  '  There  must  be  historic 
existences  connected  with  such  a  series  of  symbols." 

6,  It  temporarily  robs  the  world  of  the  mediatorial  work 
of  Christ.  It  is  the  creed  of  Christendom,  that  he  is  gone 
to  heaven  to  finish  his  priestly,  and  enter  upon  his  kingly 
work,  as  already  stated.  That  he  is  in  heaven,  the  in- 
dwelling Spirit  abundantly  testifies.    If  it  were  expedient 


134  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

at  first  that  he  should  ascend  to  heaven,  it  is  equally  ex- 
pedient that  he  should  remain  there  still.  The  author 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  labors  to  prove  this  very 
point.  He  distinctly  asserts  that  if  he  were  on  earth  he 
could  not  be  a  priest.  (Chap.  viii.  4.)  There  is  a  part 
of  his  priestly  function  that  can  be  performed  only  in 
heaven.  Under  the  Aaronic  priesthood,  the  high  priest, 
after  offering  the  sacrifice,  then  went  into  the  Holy  of 
Holies  to  offer  incense.  So  our  High  Priest,  having  of- 
fered himself  as  a  sacrifice,  has  gone  on  high,  where  he 
ever  lives,  to  make  intercession  for  his  people.  The  high 
priests  of  old  never  left  the  precincts  of  the  earthly 
temple.  Aaron  was  always  at  his  post;  Eleazer  always 
in  his  place.  For  our  High  Priest  to  leave  the  heavenly 
courts  would  be  contrary  to  all  analogy,  and  express  ut- 
terances of  the  word  of  God.  And  should  he  leave  his 
high  place  on  high,  who  would  then  be  the  world's  inter- 
cessor? Who  would  be  there  to  take  the  petitions  of  his 
people  and  present  them  with  acceptance  at  the  heavenly 
throne  of  grace? 

And  is  there  no  kingly  work  for  him  to  perform  among 
the  angels  and  saints  on  high?  Who  is  to  occupy  his 
throne  there,  and  to  receive  the  adoration  and  thanks- 
giving and  praise  of  the  mighty  angelic  host  ever  singing 
the  song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb?  And  will  he  remain 
on  earth  with  all  his  saints  after  the  Millennium,  during 
the  re-enthronement  of  Satan's  power?  And  all  this  in 
face  of  the  express  declaration  of  scripture,  "Whom  the 
heavens  must  receive  till  the  restitution  of  all  things." 
(Acts  iii.  21.)  "In  the  regeneration  (aicoxaraffratrsiog  ),  not 
before,  said  the  Saviour,  ye  shall  sit  with  me."  To  brine; 
him  here,  to  reign  on  earth,  is  to  bring  him  back  before 
the  restitution  and  making  of  all  things  new ;  unless  we 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  135 

make  the  Millennium  the  regeneration  and  making  of  all 
things  new,  which  the  Scriptures  nowhere  teach. 

7,  It  equally  brings  dishonor  upon  the  work  of  the 
Spirit.  They  hesitate  not  to  affirm  that  the  gospel  is  a 
failure  thus  far  in  converting  the  world  to  Christ.  "A 
perpetual  failure,"  and  will  "continue  a  failure  till  the 
second  Adam  shall  come  to  enforce  the  same  with  his 
judgments,"  says  W.  E.  B.  (p.  26).  Apart  from  what 
might  be  the  divine  purpose  in  the  matter,  and  what  will 
be  hereafter,  the  question  arises,  Whether  mere  judg- 
ments would  secure  the  end?  It  is  not  in  the  nature  of 
judgments  alone  to  lead  to  repentance.  They  did  not  lead 
Pharaoh  to  repentance,  nor  King  Saul,  nor  thousands  of 
others.  Conviction  is  the  sole  work  of  the  Spirit ;  and 
when  he  fails,  judgments  will  surely  fail.  All  power  is 
vested  in  the  Spirit,  as  all  grace  and  merit  in  the  Son. 
The  Son  works  through  the  Spirit.  It  was  when  the 
Spirit  came  upon  Jesus  that  he  performed  those  mighty 
works.  It  was  through  the  Spirit  he  offered  himself  a 
sacrifice  for  sin,  and  through  that  same  eternal  Spirit  he 
raised  himself  from  the  tomb ;  and  by  that  same  Spirit  he 
is  carrying  on  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom.  To  charge  the 
work  with  failure  is  to  accuse  him  of  the  veriest  weak- 
ness. 

And,  then,  why  the  necessity  for  the  personal  presence 
of  the  Lord  on  earth?  Could  he  not  work  through  the 
Spirit  from  heaven  as  well  as  on  earth?  And  even  if 
necessary  for  him  to  speak  through  judgments,  could  he 
not  do  so  as  well  from  his  throne  in  the  skies  as  if  he 
were  here  on  earth  ?  Besides,  let  it  not  be  forgotten  that 
Satan  is  to  be  loosed  again  after  the  Millennium,  and  the 
nations  again  deceived  by  him.  Is  the  world  then  to  wit- 
ness the  humiliating  spectacle  of  the  King  of  glory  again 


136  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

returning  to  his  throne  on  high  a  defeated  king,  with  his 
work  after  all  only  partially  accomplished,  and  thus  bring 
greater  discredit  upon  himself,  as  well  as  additional  dis- 
honor to  the  Spirit? 

8,  It  defeats  in  a  measure  the  very  object  for  which  the 
judgment  is  appointed.  That  object  is  twofold,  (i), 
The  vindication  of  the  judge  himself.  Many  hard 
things  have  been  thought  and  said  against  the  Lord  and 
his  government.  These  things  have  been  allowed  to  pass 
unchallenged,  because  he  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the 
which  he  will  vindicate  himself  from  all  these  wicked  as- 
persions, and  for  the  revelation  of  his  righteous  judgment, 
as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  in  which  his  creatures  will  all 
see  the  righteousness  of  his  acts,  and  join  in  the  final  de- 
cision with  a  loud  and  hearty  "Amen."  But  for  the  full 
and  complete  vindication  of  himself,  as  well  as  this  reve- 
lation of  his  righteous  judgments,  it  will  be  necessary 
for  all  his  creatures  to  be  present,  every  eye  to  see  him, 
and  witness  his  decisions.  Nothing  to  be  covered,  but 
everything  brought  to  light.  What  has  been  spoken  in 
secret  is  to  be  proclaimed  from  the  housetop.  To  keep 
any  of  his  creatures  away  from  that  grand  tribunal,  or 
suppress  any  of  the  facts,  will  just  so  far  defeat  the  very 
purpose  of  the  appointment. 

(2),  A  second  object  of  the  judgment  is  the  bestowal  of 
awards.  As  a  man  really  lives  in  his  works,  after  he  is 
dead,  like  Abel  of  old,  though  dead  still  speaking,  and  his 
influence,  like  the  advancing  waves  of  the  tumultuous  sea, 
will  continue  to  move  on  and  on  till  they  strike  the  ut- 
most shore,  the  proper  time  for  the  judgment  obviously 
will  be  the  last  day,  when  the  whole  life,  with  all  its  re- 
sults, may  be  gathered  up.    To  bestow  the  award  before 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  137 

that  time  is  simply  to  judge  a  man  before  his  works  are 
ended. 

9,  It  presents  a  false  view  of  the  relation  of  the  church 
and  tribulation.  They  tell  us  that  the  object  of  the  rap- 
ture is  to  remove  the  church  from  the  tribulation  to  be 
visited  upon  the  earth0 ;  then  why  take  a  part  and  leave 
the  rest?  Why  leave  the  tribulation  saints  behind?  And 
how  reconcile  this  with  the  words  of  the  intercessory 
prayer,  in  which  the  Saviour  expressly  says,  "I  pray  not 
that  thou  shouldest  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but  that 
thou  shouldest  keep  them  from  the  evil."  (Jno.  xvii.  15.) 
So  also  in  the  message  to  the  Philadelphian  church,  "I 
also  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of  temptation  which  is 
to  come  upon  all  the  world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon 
the  earth."  (Rev.  iii.  10.)  Notice,  not  take  them  out  of 
the  world,  but  keep  and  shield  them  while  in  it. 

Even  admitting  it  a  mercy  to  remove  the  living,  what 
about  the  dead,  and  who  constitute  by  far  the  largest  part  ? 
Why  should  they  be  taken?  The  tribulation  could  not 
reach  them,  nor  disturb  their  repose  in  the  tomb.  Why 
raise  them  up  to  get  them  out  of  trouble,  when  they  are 
not  in  it,  nor  affected  by  it?  We  hesitate  not  to  affirm 
that  this  whole  idea  of  taking  his  people  of  the  world  to 
get  them  out  of  tribulation  is  unscriptural,  being  con- 
trary to  the  whole  scheme  of  probation.  Why  take  them 
away  when  the  world  was  made,  and  they  were  put  here, 
for  the  very  purpose  of  being  tested,  tried  and  purified, 
as  gold  by  fire?    And  why  the  many  promises  to  be  with 


"Premillennialists  say  the  great  tribulation  is  yet  to  come,  nnd 
speak  of  it  as  T7j  OXtipei  the  tribulation.  John  uses  the  same  lan- 
guage. He  says,  "Your  brother  and  companion  (  ev  rr/  ffXt<pet  )  *n 
the  tribulation.  If  yet  to  come,  how  could  he  be  in  it?  Will 
they  explain?" 


138  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

them  when  they  go  through  the  fire  and  deep  waters,  if 
they  are  to  be  removed?  Are  these  promises  only  for  the 
lesser  evils,  and  not  the  greater?  And  is  not  God's  grace 
sufficient  to  sustain,  as  well  as  save  to  the  very  uttermost, 
under  any  and  all  circumstances?  Why  then  minimize 
that  grace  by  talking  of  removal,  when  it  is  declared 
sufficient  for  every  emergency,  and  the  very  sending 
of  the  trial  was  to  show  that  sufficiency  ? 

So  the  promise  of  the  shortening  of  the  tribulation 
days  for  the  elects'  sake  proves  the  presence  of  the  elect 
on  earth,  and  in  the  midst  of  it  all.  Why  shorten  the 
days  for  the  elects'  sake  and  they  removed?  The  whole 
thing  smacks  entirely  too  much  of  the  cloister  and  ascetic- 
ism of  medieval  times  for  the  Christian  enlightenment  of 
this  age  and  generation. 

10,  Moreover,  we  reject  the  theory  because  of  the  short- 
ness of  the  time  given  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophe- 
cies. They  crowd  into  one  short  period  of  half  a  week  of 
years,  or  three  and  a  half  years,  which  is  their  tribulation 
period,  all  that  is  included  in  the  rapture,  the  seals,  the 
trumpets,  the  vials,  the  two  beasts,  all  the  different  vials 
of  judgments,  the  rise  of  Antichrist,  his  deceiving  the 
nations,  practising  his  arts,  shedding  of  blood  to  the  ex- 
tent of  being  drunk  therewith,  all  this  in  the  short  space 
of  three  and  a  half  years !  The  time,  even  allowing  Dr. 
Seiss'  seventy  years,  seems  entirely  too  short  for  all  of 
this.  And  the  long  delay  in  the  appearing  of  Antichrist, 
whom  they  say  is  a  man  ;  and  contrary  to  the  general 
rules  of  interpretation  in  thus  applying  the  prophecy  to 
an  individual,  and  not  to  a  kingdom  or  power.  How  a 
mere  man  could  begin  to  work  in  Paul's  day,  some  eigh- 
teen hundred  years  before  his  birth,  is  something  we  can 
neither  comprehend,   nor  do  they  undertake  to  explain. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  139 

Apart  from  the  marvel  of  the  thing,  it  does  seem  to  us 
that  the  long  delay  in  his  coming  is  out  of  all  proportion 
with  the  rest  of  the  scheme.  So  with  the  slaying  of  the 
witnesses.  They  insist  upon  a  literal  three  and  a  half 
days,  and  yet  it  is  asserted  that  "kindreds  and  tongues  and 
nations  shall  see  their  dead  bodies  three  and  a  half  days." 
"And  they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  rejoice  over 
then,  and  make  merry,  and  shall  send  gifts  one  to  an- 
other." How  they  can  do  all  that  in  three  and  a  half 
days,  we  leave  them  to  explain. 

11,  We  reject  the  theory  because  it  necessitates  addi- 
tional revelation.  In  replying  to  the  question,  "How  will 
men  be  saved  during  the  Millennium,"  and  what  the 
means  of  grace?  W.  E.  B.  says,  "It  is  just  as  consistent 
that  we  shall  receive  an  additional  revelation  to  the  word 
of  God,  when  he  comes,  as  it  was  when  he  came  before"7 
(p.  73)  ;  and  thus  not  only  requiring  an  addition  to  the 
canon,  but  even  the  return  of  the  Saviour  to  complete 
his  prophetical  work.  Surely  a  cause  must  be  hard 
pressed  to  require  such  a  resort  as  this.  In  striking  con- 
trast with  this  supposed  necessity  for  additional  revelation, 
we  place  the  ringing  words  of  the  Master  himself,  "If 
they  hear  not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be 
persuaded,  though  one  rose  from  the  dead." 

12,  We  reject  the  theory  because  of  the  unnatural  plac- 
ing of  the  resurrection  at  the  rapture  a  thousand  years  or 
more  before  men  cease  either  to  be  bom  or  to  die.  How 
much  more  reasonable,  satisfactory,  and  scriptural  the 
view  which  places  the  resurrection  after  the  Millennium, 
and  in  connection  with  the  closing  scenes,  introducing  the 
new  heavens  and  the  new  earth? 


7Dr.  Rutledge  holds  the  same  view   (p.  5G0) 


140  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

13,  We  reject  the  theory  because  it  nessitates  the  com- 
ing of  another,  or  a  second  coming  of  the  same  Anti- 
christ. In  the  preceding  pages  we  have  shown  clearly,  as 
we  think,  that  one  Antichrist  has  already  come  in  the 
tripartite  form  of  Rome,  Pagan,  Christian  and  Papal. 
Is  another  yet  to  come?  And  will  the  second,  when  he 
does  come,  match  the  description  any  better?  Will  he  be 
an  improved  and  more  complete  Antichrist? — more  ter- 
rible in  his  nature,  and  shed  more  innocent  blood,  than  the 
triune  monster  of  iniquity  already  described? 

Of  Babylon,  it  is  said,  "And  in  her  was  found  the 
blood  of  prophets,  and  of  saints,  and  of  all  that  were  slain 
upon  the  earth."  (Chap,  xviii.  24.)  If  another  great 
apostasy,  or  enemy,  is  yet  to  arise,  call  it  Babylon,  Man 
of  sin,  Antichrist,  woman  on  a  beast,  or  what  else  you 
please,  how  will  it  be  possible  for  him  to  be  guilty  of 
the  blood  already  shed? 

Furthermore,  their  theory  requires  that  he  is  to  take  the 
city,  pollute  the  sanctuary,  and  set  up  the  abomination. 
But  this  has  already  been  done.  Jerusalem  has  long  since 
been  taken,  the  temple  destroyed,  and  the  abomination 
that  maketh  desolate  been  set  up  for  centuries.  Is  all  this 
to  be  repeated,  the  temple  rebuilt,  and  the  abomination  set 
up  a  second  time? 

14,  We  reject  the  theory  because  it  imposes  an  unnat- 
ural and  impossible  condition  of  prayer.  We  are  expressly 
commanded  to  pray,  "Thy  kingdom  come."  If  the  king- 
dom here  spoken  of  be  the  Millennial  kingdom,  to  be  es- 
tablished on  earth  by  the  personal  advent  of  the  Lord,  to 
pray  thy  kingdom  come  is  simply  to  pray  that  Christ 
would  come  at  once,  and  change  the  living  and  raise  the 
dead,  and  immediately  proceed  with  the  visitation  upon 
the  wicked  of  the  threatened  judgments  contained  in  the 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  141 

trumpets  and  vials.  How  many  of  God's  people,  think 
you,  would  yet  be  able  to  offer  such  a  petition,  asking  to 
be  removed  at  once?  Not  one  in  a  thousand.  Why  then 
impose  such  an  impossible  condition  upon  the  consciences 
of  God's  people?  Where  is  the  authority  for  such  a 
prayer,  when  he  has  clearly  called  us  and  sent  us  forth  as 
laborers  in  his  vineyard,  and  cautioned  us  against  this 
very  thing,  of  idly  waiting  His  coming?  And  how  recon- 
cile it  with  that  other  petition,  "Pray  ye  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest  to  send  forth  more  laborers  into  the  harvest"? 
See  the  conflict !  With  one  breath  we  are  to  pray  for  an 
increase  of  laborers,  and  with  the  next  for  the  immediate 
coming  of  Christ,  and  removal  of  the  laborers,  ourselves, 
and  all  his  people,  both  dead  and  living,  out  of  the  world ! 
What  is  the  use  of  the  first  petition  at  all,  if  Christ  is  to 
come  and  set  up  his  kingdom  by  the  direct  exercise  of  his 
power  and  overawing  influence  of  his  presence? 

15,  We  reject  the  theory  because  it  presents  a  view  of 
the  Millennium  entirely  different  from  that  given  in  the 
word  of  God,  and  as  held  by  the  church  in  all  ages. 
Premillennialists  speak  of  it  as  a  "continued  judgment,"8 
whereas  the  scriptures  everywhere  represent  it  as  a  time 
of  unwonted  favor,  with  the  power  of  Satan  curtailed, 
and  the  Spirit  most  graciously  bestowed.  Premillennial- 
ists speak  of  it  as  a  "failure,"  so  far  as  the  gospel  is  con- 
cerned, whereas  the  sacred  writers  speak  in  the  most  ex- 
ulting strains  of  the  wonderful  triumph  of  the  gospel, 
as  exhibiting  its  power  to  elevate,  transform  and  save ; 
as  making  the  wilderness  to  become  a  fruitful  field,  and 
the  earth  to  bud  and  blossom  as  the  rose ;  as  a  time  when 
the  nations  shall  beat  their  swords  into  ploughshares,  and 
their  spears  into  pruning  hooks,  and  learn  war  no  more. 

<W.  E.  B.,  p.  68. 


142  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

It  is  impossible  for  us  to  reconcile  their  sad  and  gloomy 
views  with  the  bright,  cheerful  and  glowing  descriptions 
of  the  prophets.  The  prophets  would  encourage  us  with 
the  sweetest  assurances  that  the  gospel  is  yet  to  triumph 
over  all  the  earth,  and  that,  as  the  hammer  and  fire,  under 
the  influences  of  the  Spirit  it  can  break  and  subdue  the 
hardest  heart.  If  the  gospel  be  so  inefficient  as  they  af- 
firm, what  have  the  poor  missionaries,  and  those  labor- 
ing so  sacrificingly  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  to 
loolf  to  for  comfort?  If  the  judgments  of  God  be  the  only 
thing  to  tear  down  the  strongholds  of  Satan,  instead  of 
hazarding  their  lives,  and  wasting  their  energies  in  a  hope- 
less undertaking,  it  would  be  far  better  for  them  to  sur- 
render their  credentials  at  once,  and  spend  the  rest  of  the 
time  in  praying  for  the  speedy  coming  of  impending 
judgments,  and  the  sooner  the  coming  the  better !  A  Mil- 
lennium of  triumph  is  clearly  the  fulfillment  of  Daniel's 
little  stone  becoming  the  mountain  and  filling  the  whole 
earth.  Take  away  the  idea  of  final  triumph,  and  you  at 
once  destroy  the  uniqueness  of  the  scheme,  as  well  as 
rob  the  gospel  and  the  Spirit  of  all  their  accredited  power 
as  agents  for  the  accomplishment  of  so  grand  and  glorious 
an  end. 

16,  We  reject  the  theory  because  it  forts  to  define  the 
position  of  the  resurrected  saints  during  the  rapture. 
Caught  up  in  the  air  for  seven  years !  Why  exactly  seven 
years?  What  authority  for  this  in  Scripture?  What 
analogy  or  typical  allusion  to  corroborate  the  same?  Then 
what  the  location  or  position  of  the  raptured  saints? 
They  are  not  in  Hades,  for  they  nave  been  snatched  from 
that  place ;  not  in  Paradise,  for  Paradise  is  this  side  of  the 
resurrection,  as  shown  by  the  words  of  the  Saviour  to 
the  dying  thief;  nor  in  heaven,  for  heaven  is  the  place  of 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  143 

final  awards,  and  these  are  not  yet  distributed.  If,  then, 
not  in  Hades,  or  Paradise,  or  heaven,  what  region  or 
clime  in  the  celestial  planisphere  are  they  to  occupy?  Dr. 
Rutledge  says,  "The  heavenlies," — the  place  from  whence 
he  asserts  the  dragon  is  to  be  cast  after  the  rapture,  and 
where  he  must  be  just  now.  It  strikes  us  as  a  strange  in- 
congruity that  Satan  is  to  vacate  his  seat  for  the  saints. 
The  heavenlies !  We  candidly  confess,  that  is  a  new  di- 
vision or  district  in  God's  empire  of  which  we  have  never 
heard  before,  and  of  which  the  Scriptures  say  nothing. 
If  the  air  overhead  simply  is  to  be  the  stopping  place  in 
this  rapture,  then  that  air  must  be  the  permanent  abode 
of  the  saints,  for  they  are  to  be  forever  with  the  Lord,  in 
the  place  to  which  first  taken. 

17,  We  reject  the  theory  because  it  demands  the  un- 
natural commingling  of  things  earthly  and  things  celes- 
tial— of  beings  mortal  and  beings  immortal — of  two  sorts 
of  Millennial  saints,  part  perfect  and  part  imperfect,  part 
glorified  and  part  unglorified ;  and  likewise  the  unpeo- 
pling of  heaven,  or  else  the  division  of  the  kingdom  and 
throne,  a  part  on  earth  and  a  part  in  heaven !  If  the 
saints  are  to  be  raised  up,  with  what  bodies  will  they 
come?  And  what  the  relation  to  the  living?  If  any, 
what  the  character  of  the  association  ?  Mortals  and  im- 
mortals mixed  up !  Will  the  latter  live  in  houses  or  in  the 
air?  Will  they  be  visible  or  invisible?  If  visible,  wherein 
differ  from  others?  If  invisible,  what  the  use  of  the 
earthly  reign?  And,  then,  what  their  employment?  Will 
they  be  angels  of  mercy  sent  Torth  to  minister  to  the 
heirs  of  salvation,  or,  bent  on  vengeance,  will  they  go 
forth  as  God's  messengers,  in  the  execution  of  his  pur- 
poses of  wrath  upon  the  wicked,  and  at  the  same  time  as 
"shepherdizers,"  as  Dr.  Seiss  informs  us,  to  lord  it  over 


144  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

their  less  fortunate  brethren  still  struggling  in  the  flesh? 
And,  then,  are  they  to  remain  on  earth  after  the  Millen- 
nium until  the  end?  or  ascend  into  heaven?  And  at  the 
last  judgment,  will  these  Millennial  saints  have  equal  hon- 
ors with  the  raptured  ones,  and  sit  as  co-judges  with 
them;  or  will  the  latter  occupy  higher  seats,  and  be  in- 
vested with  special  supernal  honors,  by  virtue  of  their 
priority  in  the  resurrection? 

1 8,  Then,  lastly,  we  reject  the  theory  because  of  its  af- 
filiations and  associations.  Its  companionships  in  the  past 
have  been  anything  but  desirable.  It  not  only  furnishes 
an  ample  field  for  visionary  schemes  and  fanciful  inter- 
pretation of  the  scriptures,  but,  true  to  its  proclivities, 
has  also  given  birth  to  the  wildest  extravagancies,  both 
in  practice  and  belief.  Witness  the  rugged  asceticism, 
as  well  as  assumptive  claims  to  prophecy,  of  the  Montan- 
ists  of  the  second  century,  who  stirred  up  so  large  a  part 
of  the  world  under  the  delusion  of  the  Saviour's  imme- 
diate appearing.  Witness  the  still  greater  fanaticism  of 
the  people  of  this  country,  who,  under  the  teaching  of 
William  Miller,  in  1844  were  wrought  up  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  religious  frenzy  over  the  idea  of  the  sudden  com- 
ing of  Christ.  Still  more  recentlv,  witness  the  "Christ 
craze"  of  the  colored  people  of  Libertv  countv,  Georgia, 
in  t88q,  who,  believing  that  Christ  had  alreadv  come  in 
the  person  of  one  Dupont  Bell,  neglected  their  farms  and 
ceased  from  everv  sort  of  business,  and  franticallv  fol- 
lowed their  leader  from  dav  to  day,  expecting  soon  to 
be  taken  up  to  Paradise.  Interpret  the  Millennium  to 
mean  a  personal  coming,  and  temporal  rule,  instead  of 
gospel  triumph  and  a  peaceful  spiritual  reicrn,  and  set  the 
time  for  that  comine,  and  the  world  is  liable  to  witness 
just  such  scenes  at  any  time. 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  145 

And  then,  what  fanciful  interpretations  and  wild  deduc- 
tions from  Scripture!  Says  a  recent  writer,  "Imagine 
Paul  acting  under  Immanuel  as  president  of  the  Unites 
States,  Peter  king  of  England,  James  superceding  the 
Czar  of  Russia,  John  as  emperor  of  China,  Bartholomew 
succeeding  to  the  throne  of  Kaiser  William  of  Germany. 
Imagine  the  guileless  Nathaniel  as  president  of  the  turbu- 
lent French  Republic.  How  about  John  Wesley  for 
mayor  of  London,  or  the  immortal  dreamer,  John  Bun- 
van,  as  mayor  of  Paris?  How  would  D.  L.  Moody  do 
for  Chicago's  chief  officer?  Or  Jonathan  Edwards  for 
Greater  New  York?"9  And  even  such  a  man  as  Dr. 
Rutledge,  with  all  his  intelligence  and  learning,  indulging 
in  the  fanciful  conceit  that  Antichrist  will  "probably  be 
killed  by  the  explosion  of  a  bomb  !10. 

If  a  tree  is  to  be  judged  by  its  fruit,  and  a  man  known 
by  the  company  he  keeps,  and  these  and  similar  vagaries 
be  the  legitimate  fruitage  and  social  concomitants  of  the 
scheme,  we  feel  fully  warranted  in  setting  it  aside,  more 
as  the  work  of  human  devising  than  the  teaching  of  the 
Spirit.  "But  the  end -of  all  things  is  at  hand,  be  ye  there- 
fore sober."  Christian  sobriety,  and  not  fanaticism,  is  the 
inspired  coupling  with  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  the  utter  inconsistency 
and  unscripturalness  of  the  premillennial  theory.  While 
truth  is  ever  in  harmony  with  itself,  error  is  always  con- 
tradictory, and  in  its  very  contradictions  furnishes  evi- 
dence for  its  own  conviction.  The  theory,  as  we  have  en- 
deavored to  show,  is  so  disjointed  and  out  of  harmony 
with  itself  and  everything  around  it,  and  so  interjected 
and  overburdened  with  fancies  and  whims  of  its  own,  as 
to  leave  behind  endless  problems  and  questions,  which  it 

"Piekett's  Bible  Hope,   p.    102.         "P.   203. 


146  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

can  neither  remove  nor  satisfactorily  explain.  Thus, 
as  we  have  seen,  it  fails  to  tell  us  why  there  should  be  a 
Millennial  reign  on  earth,  and  if  a  Millennium,  why  the 
seventh  thousand?  And  why  a  continuance  of  judgment 
and  not  of  gospel  triumph  and  peace?  Why  rule  with  a 
rod  of  iron,  and  not  a  sceptre  of  mercy,  while  Satan  is 
rhained?  How  death  can  be  destroyed  at  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  yet  continue  till  the  last  judgment?  It  has  not 
explained,  neither  can  it  explain,  why  the  Saviour  should 
temporarily  leave  his  throne  on  high,  abandon  his  priestly 
work,  reign  only  so  long  on  earth,  and  leave  the  world 
again  to  Satan's  rule.  Neither  can  they  tell  us  what  is  the 
object,  and  what  accomplished  by  this  temporary  reign  on 
earth.  It  does  not,  nor  yet  can  it  explain,  why  there 
should  be  such  a  discrimination  among  the  saints ;  why 
some  should  be  removed  from  the  coming  tribulation,  and 
others,  including  martyrs,  should  be  left  in  it;  and,  in- 
deed, why  any,  especially  the  dead,  be  removed  at  all, 
when  the  Saviour  promised  to  be  with  his  people  when 
called  to  go  through  fiery  trials,  to  shield  and  deliver 
them,  as  Daniel  in  the  lion's  den,  and  the  Hebrew  chil- 
dren in  the  fiery  furnace.  l,t  fails  to  explain  the  problems 
of  life  and  death  after  the  rapture.  How  the  race  is  to 
perpetuate  itself  without  birth?  How  there  can  be  birth 
without  death,  death  without  a  resurrection,  and  resur- 
rection without  a  judgment?  It  does  not,  nor  yet  can  it 
explain,  why  such  a  complete  system  of  symbols,  so  fully 
and  so  minutely  described,  should  be  given  with  the  dis- 
tinct understanding  that  they  were  not  to  be  understood 
till  the  Saviour  should  come  in  person  to  explain  them, 
and  thus  make  them  of  no  use  as  furnishing  evidence  of 
the  truth  of  Christianity  by  their  fulfilment.  They  can- 
not tell  why,  though  hitherto,  when  in  the  midst  of  all 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  T47 

the  trying  vicissitudes  through  which  the  church  has  been 
called  to  pass,  distinct  intimations  have  in  every  instance 
been  given,  of  the  trials  about  to  come  upon  her,  yet  here 
should  arise  in  her  very  bosom  a  most  wonderful  and 
marvellous  monster,  debasing  and  degrading  her,  and 
reaching  out  and  blighting  with  its  withering  touch  the 
fairest  portions  of  earth,  and  for  ages  enveloping  the 
world  as  with  the  pall  of  death ;  and  yet  not  a  word,  nor 
even  a  hint  ever  given  by  way  of  warning,  as  to  its  ap- 
proach !  It  fails  to  tell  us  how,  if  Antichrist  be  a  man, 
as  they  say  he  is,  and  yet  to  come,  how  he  could  have 
showed  himself  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  in  Paul's 
day ! — how  he  is  to  become  guilty  of  the  blood  of  saints 
and  prophets  already  shed;  or  how,  if  he  is  to  live  but 
three  and  a  half  years,  he  will  be  able  to  do  in  so  short  a 
period  all  the  wonderful  things  they  ascribe  to  him.11    It 

nDr.  Soiss  places  the  coming  of  Antichrist,  or  Man  of  Sin, 
after  the  Paronsia  or  rapture;  and  yet  it  is  the  brightness 
of  the  Parousia  (  rrt  exKpaveta  ttj?  itopouaio<2  aurou  )that  is 
to  destroy  him.  Thus,  according  to  the  theory,  AnticKrlst  is 
actually  to  be  destroyed  before  he  comes.  What  a  tissue  of  incon- 
sistencies ! 

Then  there  can  be  coming  without  personal  presence;  as  the 
coming  of  the  Lord  to  punish  Israel,  Isa.  xxvi.  21;  to  smite 
Egypt,  Jer.  xliii.  11;  to  destroy  Jerusalem,  Matt,  xxiv.;  to  over- 
throw Sardis,  Rev.  iii.  3;  in  neither  of  which  was  there  any  per- 
sonal presence. 

Two  things  are  mentioned  in  2  Thess.  ii.  8  to  be  employed  in 
the  destructoin  of  Antichrist:  The  first  is  the  "breath  of  the 
Lord";  that  is,  his  word,  or  truth;  the  other,  the  "brightness  of 
his  coming."  It  is  not,  then,  his  personal  presence,  But  the 
brightness  of  his  coming,  in  connection  with  his  preached  word, 
that  is  to  destroy  him.  Our  understanding  of  this  passage,  upon 
which  they  so  much  rely,  is  that,  in  connection  with  the  preach-  O 
ing  of  his  word,  the  very  brightness  of  his  coming,  lik'e  the  light.  I 
that  precedes  the  rising  sun,  will  be  so  great  as  to  overwhelm  or 
destroy  him,  even  in  advance  of  his  actual  coming. 


148  HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY. 

fails  to  tell  us  of  the  fate  of  Millennial  saints,  and  those 
who  shall  live  after  that  event,  whether  they  are  to  be 
raised  up,  and  when? — whether  they  are  to  judge  or  be 
judged,  to  rule  or  be  ruled?  And  also  what  the  fate  of 
all  the  living,  both  good  and  bad,  when  the  great  white 
throne  is  set  up,  as  they  hold  that  only  the  wicked  dead 
are  to  be  the  subjects  of  that  judgment?  So  it  fails  to 
explain  why  not  the  righteous,  but  only  the  postmilliennial 
wicked  dead,  are  to  be  raised  at  the  last  day?;  why  no 
mention  is  made  before  of  the  sea  giving  up  its  dead,  in 
previous  resurrections  ?  And  if  only  the  wicked  are  to  be 
judged,  why  mention  should  be  made  of  "the  book  of 
life"? 

How  different,  on  the  other  hand,  the  postmillennial 
view !  How  easy,  how  simple,  how  philosophic  in  all  its 
parts !  How  consistent  with  itself  and  the  rest  of  the 
word  of  God !  Agreeing  with  its  every  teaching  and  doc- 
trine, and  in  exact  harmony  with  the  hebdomadal  idea 
running  through  the  entire  scheme  of  creation  and  revela- 
tion. The  seventh  day  the  Sabbath,  the  seventh  year  the 
sabbatic  year,  and  the  seventh  seventh,  the  year  of  jubilee ; 
thus  furnishing  a  reason  for  a  Millennium  of  peace  and 
rest;  and  pointing  to,  and  terminating  in  the  jubilistic 
rest  of  heaven.  So  the  turning  Satan  loose  again,  being 
in  exact  accord  with  God's  dealings  with  his  people  in  every 
age,  in  thus  leaving  them  to  themselves  after  a  period  of 
success,  to  show  them  their  utter  weakness  and  depen- 
dence upon  him ;  as  Israel  at  Ai,  Elijah  in  the  cave,  Peter 
at  the  judgment  hall,  and  David  confronted  with  the  try- 
ing problem  of  the  three  evils. 

So  the  present  and  past  history  of  the  world  is  in  full 
accord  with  all  the  appointments  of  prophecy,  thus  fur- 
nishing indisputable  proof  of  Scripture,  everything  show- 


HAND-BOOK  OF  PROPHECY.  149 

ing  the  certain  triumph  of  the  gospel  and  speedy  approach 
of  the  glorious  time  when  the  little  stone  shall  become  the 
mountain  and  fill  the  earth,  and  his  kingdom  shall  extend 
from  shore  to  shore — and  is  only  awaiting  the  seed 
sowing,  the  accumulation  of  prayer,  and  the  final  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit,  when  the  last  upheaval  shall  take 
place,  bringing  in  the  final  and  universal  establishment 
of  the  gospel  kingdom,  when  the  angel  with  the  trumpet 
shall  proclaim  in  thunder  tones  that  the  kingdoms  of  this 
world  have  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  his 
Christ.  As  the  Son  of  man  came  not  in  person  to  de- 
stroy Jerusalem,  neither  will  he  come  at  last  to  bind  the 
tares,  but  commit  that  to  his  angels.  His  work  on  earth 
is  done ;  the  days  of  his  humiliation  ended.  He  will  re- 
main seated  upon  his  heavenly  throne,  henceforth  ex- 
pecting, until  his  enemies  become  his  footstool,  until  the 
kingdom  is  ready  for  him,  and  to  the  end  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  may  receive  the  honor  due  him  as  one  of  the  Ador- 
able Trinity — reserving  for  himself  the  pomp  and  gran- 
deur of  his  final  and  triumphant  entry,  when  he  shall 
come  in  the  chariot  of  clouds,  in  great  glory,  with  his 
angels,  and  bringing  his  saints  with  him,  to  sit  upon  the 
throne  of  his  glory  as  judge  of  all  the  earth,  and  when  the 
congregated  millions  of  heaven,  earth  and  hell  shall  stand 
before  that  august  throne,  to  be  judged  out  of  the  things 
written  in  the  books. 

We  are  indeed  looking  for  him  to  come  again,  but  not 
till  Elias  and  his  coadjutors  have  fully  restored  all  things, 
and  his  messengers  prepared  the  way  before  him,  and 
the  whole  world  ready  to  receive  her  king.  Then,  and 
not  till  then,  may  we  look  fcr  his  coming: 

"Amen  ;  even  so  come,  Lord  Jesus." 


DATE  DUE 


i  lt>  "*'"**— -^TtAi.   -  J 

1 

GAYLORD 

PRINTED  IN  U.S.  A. 

